Time Is Running Out
by kphillips
Summary: Colonization is on the horizon and the President asks for Mulder's help taking him away from DC and Scully. Things become complicated as the separated partners work to save the planet and their relationship. COMPLETED!
1. Part One

Time Is Running Out Part One By Katie Phillips Disclaimer Info: I know they don't belong to me and I appreciate being able to play with them every now and then. Spoilers: None really. Assumes a basic knowledge of the show nothing more. Date: November 2003 Archive: I will take care of Ephemeral and Gossamer. If you put them anywhere else let me know so they won't get lonely. Feedback: Love it. Xfstories@yahoo.com. Classification: This is pretty much an X-file with some MSR thrown in to keep all you shippers out there happy. Rating: PG-13 so far. Summary: Colonization is on the horizon and the President asks for Mulder's help taking him away from DC and Scully. Things become complicated as the separated partners work to save the planet.  
  
Chapter One  
  
September 1st Friday 9:00 am Oval Office, Washington DC  
  
"Are you sure there is no other way?" asked the President of the United States.  
  
"None, that we can see Sir." replied his National Security Advisor. "Our sources indicate that colonization will occur within the next three to five years."  
  
"And let me guess" the President interrupted "it will take us longer than that to finalize our vaccine."  
  
"Yes Sir, we will be lucky to be in the testing phase in three years. But, there is some hope."  
  
"Dare I ask?" the President said sitting back in his chair looking at his advisor.  
  
"We believe we have found a research facility being run jointly by the Syndicate and their alien contacts. They are conducting their own research on a vaccine to help insure the safety of their membership when colonization occurs."  
  
"Can we raid this facility, General?" the President asked leaning forward in his chair.  
  
"That would not be advisable Sir. As far as we can tell, they do not know of our counterattack plans. If we perform a military raid on their facility we will reveal ourselves."  
  
The President sat back in his chair again wondering to himself exactly why he had wanted this particular job in the first place. He would much rather be fishing right now instead of trying to decide the fate of not only his country but very possibly the entire world.  
  
"What are our options General?"  
  
General Gordon Elliott rose and walked over to the President's desk. "As I see it Sir, there is only one option available to us."  
  
12:30 PM FBI Headquarters  
  
FBI Director George Williams put down the phone and frowned. He had received many an odd phone call in his career at the FBI, but this had to be one of the strangest.  
  
He shook his head briefly and then picked up the phone again. He had his orders and he would follow them, at least for now.  
  
"Agent Mulder?" he said into the phone "This is Director Williams. I need you in my office in 30 minutes."  
  
There was a brief pause. "No, I understand that Agent Scully is at Quantico. Her presence is not necessary at this time. I am sure you can fill her in when she returns."  
  
Another pause. "Thank you Agent."  
  
Fox Mulder arrived at Williams's office wondering what he could have possibly done this time to warrant a personal visit to the Director's office. He was used to being in trouble, but it was usually AD Skinner who read him the riot act.  
  
He was quickly greeted by the Director himself and shown into his office.  
  
His mouth almost fell open when he saw the other men already seated around the conference table.  
  
"Agent Mulder" Williams said following him to the table "I would like to introduce to you General Elliott, Chief National Security Advisor; Secretary of Health Johnson; and Head of Homeland Security Cohen."  
  
Mulder shook hands all the way around even as the feeling of dread began to spread across him.  
  
"Have a seat Agent Mulder" General Elliott said indicating to Mulder exactly who was in charge of this particular meeting.  
  
"Agent Mulder, we have called you here today because of your expertise on the X-files."  
  
Mulder swallowed hard. Something had to be definitely wrong if high ranking officials in the government were actually acknowledging his work with the X-files.  
  
"We are particularly interested in your work in regards to extra terrestrials."  
  
"Sir?" Mulder responded obviously confused.  
  
"Let me cut to the chase Agent Mulder. Although we would never admit it publicly, the Federal Government has been aware for quite awhile about the existence of alien life on this planet and their plans for the future."  
  
Mulder's eyes grew huge at this admission but he said nothing. Elliott continued.  
  
"As you are very much aware, not only have aliens been living here for decades but they have been working with a shadow government on plans to colonize the entire planet for their own use."  
  
Mulder couldn't help but interrupt at this point. "Are you telling me that the Federal Government is not backing the Syndicate?"  
  
"They had the blessing of the Government when they first began but their desire for power became too great. They began to make decisions concerning this planet without consulting the United States or any of the other major powers. We pretended to loose interest in the project and cutting all funding."  
  
"The recession of the 80's proved very helpful for that" chuckled Cohen. A look from Elliott silenced him immediately.  
  
"The Syndicate has basically been ignoring us for the last 20 years and we would have kept it that way except that the time is drawing near." Elliott said before reaching for a glass of water and taking a sip.  
  
"Time is drawing near for what?" Mulder asked totally intrigued.  
  
"Colonization."  
  
"Mulder's mouth fell open at this. "When?"  
  
"Our sources tell us between three and five years."  
  
Mulder nodded. "I appreciate you telling me all of this, but what does this have to do with me and the X-files."  
  
General Elliott put down his glass of water and turned to face Mulder. "Agent Mulder, our sources indicate that the Syndicate has been working with alien technology for decades. The chip inserted in your partner's neck is just the tip of the iceberg."  
  
Mulder shut his eyes trying to block out the memories surrounding Scully's chip but kept listening.  
  
"We know that you have been exposed to the alien's bee projects."  
  
"Yes, the virus almost killed my partner" Mulder said quietly.  
  
"Well, the vaccine you administered to Agent Scully was a rough version of the Syndicate's current project. They have a facility in Nebraska that is in the final phasing of testing the newest version of the vaccine." Elliott got up and began to walk around the room.  
  
"Their plans are to make enough vaccine to inoculate themselves now and then either destroy or conceal whatever remains. This will give them greater negotiating power when colonization comes."  
  
"Their plan makes sense, but I still don't understand why you are telling all of this to me." Mulder said.  
  
"What we need you to do Agent Mulder, is to break into that facility and obtain a sample of the vaccine for us to replicate."  
  
"Alright, when do we leave?" Mulder asked after a moment.  
  
"You will be doing this mission on your own Agent Mulder." Elliott said. "Our sources indicate that the chances of survival are rather small. Agent Scully's family has already lost someone because of the Syndicate. We are hoping to spare them."  
  
"And I am. . ."  
  
"Expendable. The truth of the matter is that you have no family Agent Mulder. A fact that will come into play if you are successful in your mission."  
  
"How so?" Mulder said getting a bit annoyed at the whole idea.  
  
"After you have obtained a sample of the vaccine, you will be put into a type of witness protection program where you will work with our researchers on not only reproducing the vaccine but instituting a plan of distribution."  
  
"So no matter what, I am disappearing?"  
  
"That is correct Agent Mulder, at least for the time being. When the situation has stabilized, you will be allowed to return to DC."  
  
"And that would be when?" Mulder said beginning to realize that he had very little choice in the matter.  
  
"That is undetermined at this time."  
  
"I assume that my mind has already been made up for me" Mulder said giving Elliott a long cold stare.  
  
"Your country needs you Agent Mulder. We knew that you would answer the call."  
  
At this Mulder turned and faced the Director. "Sir, what about Agent Scully?"  
  
The Director glanced at General Elliott before answering. "I am afraid that we cannot allow you any contact with Agent Scully at present Agent Mulder. I will however speak with her personally and appraise her of the situation."  
  
Mulder sighed and closed his eyes briefly wondering what Scully would say when she realized that she had been ditched by him yet again. Even if, this time, it wasn't his fault.  
  
"When do I leave?" he said opening his eyes and turning to Elliott.  
  
"Immediately. You will be provided with everything you need."  
  
Mulder simply nodded and followed his armed escort out of the room. Elliott rose indicating that the meeting was over.  
  
"General" Director Williams said before Elliott could leave the room.  
  
Elliott stopped and turned towards Williams his eyebrows raised in question.  
  
"Sir, what would you like me to tell Agent Scully?" Williams asked a bit afraid of what the answer might be.  
  
"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Elliott said before turning and leaving the room.  
  
Kingsley, Nebraska Saturday September 2nd 8am  
  
Mulder sipped his bland coffee wondering for the hundredth time exactly how he ended up sitting at a table in a small military facility located in the middle of nowhere planning to break into a high security research facility.  
  
The sound of someone obviously asking him a question broke him out of his thoughts. "Mulder, are you awake, buddy" Joe McKenzie said giving him a friendly shove. "Looks like your mind is a million miles away."  
  
"Sorry" Mulder said smiling weakly at him. He liked both of the men who had been assigned to 'help' him even though he was quite aware that their real assignment was to keep him from fleeing.  
  
"No problem" McKenzie said smiling back at Mulder. He was a large man in his early thirties with sandy brown hair and dark brown eyes. One would never know from his laid back attitude that he had been in the Special Services for the well over a decade.  
  
McKenzie was about to ask Mulder why he was so preoccupied when they were joined by the third member of their team, Bart Hopkins. Whereas McKenzie was laid back and easy to get along with, Hopkins was incredibly serious. Mulder wondered to himself when the last time a smile had shown itself on his chiseled face.  
  
Hopkins looked at Mulder intensely with his dark blue eyes before speaking. "Agent Mulder, I assume you had a chance to look over the plans I gave you last night?"  
  
Mulder nodded. After he had been escorted to his room and soundly locked in for the night, Mulder had spent the evening memorizing the plans that Hopkins had given him.  
  
"Good, then I imagine you have come up with a way for us to gain entry?" Hopkins said sitting across from Mulder.  
  
"I assumed that one of you two would be handling the technical aspects of this mission." Mulder said looking back and forth between the men. "Isn't that your specialty?"  
  
McKenzie laughed at this. "We are just soldiers Agent Mulder. We are just following orders."  
  
Mulder looked confused by this. "May I ask exactly what your orders are?"  
  
Hopkins seemed a bit shocked by this request but answered it nonetheless. "Our orders are simple Agent Mulder. To assist you in this mission and ensure that you return safely here upon its completion."  
  
"That's it?" Mulder said sounding a bit angry. "You mean your superiors didn't even have the decency to provide us with details on how we are supposed to pull this off?"  
  
"No, it is our understanding that information would be coming from you." Hopkins said still dead serious.  
  
McKenzie burst out laughing at this and thumped Mulder on the back. "Not to worry, Agent Mulder I am sure a bright man like yourself will have it all figured out by tonight."  
  
Mulder smiled at McKenzie wishing that there was some way he could get hold of the Lone Gunmen.  
  
Sunday September 3rd 3:30 AM Outside the Syndicate's Research Facility  
  
Mulder checked his equipment again and then turned to his two companions. "Okay, are you both clear on what we have to do here?"  
  
Hopkins nodded. "We will provide cover while you head over to the transformer station located on the North side of the building. After you have cut the power, we will join you and enter through the doors located just behind the transformer."  
  
McKenzie added. "If our charts are accurate, we will head down to the basement to where the storage units are kept. You grab your little vials and we are outta there."  
  
Mulder licked his lips nodding slowly. "Yeah, that's right." He closed his eyes briefly as if in prayer and then began his way towards the transformer.  
  
Mulder reached it with little difficulty and had the door to the power panel off within seconds. He quickly shown his flashlight on it and found the main power switch. He pushed it to the off position and then cut a few wires for good measure.  
  
The facility that was bathed in light went dark.  
  
"So far so good." Mulder said to himself as he crept his way from the transformer to the doors located just behind it. He reached it without a problem but was very glad to see McKenzie and Hopkins sneak up behind him. All three men slipped on their night goggles and paused to regroup themselves.  
  
Hopkins held up his weapon and three fingers. Mulder and McKenzie nodded and on his count of three burst through the doors into a dark hallway.  
  
Mulder looked around him. His night goggles cast the hallway in an eerie green light the result of the small emergency lights that appeared every 50 feet or so.  
  
He motioned to the others and they slowly made their way down the hallway to the stairs that led to the basement.  
  
Here again, they waited for Hopkins's sign before opening up the door and slowly beginning their descent. Things were going smoothly, too smoothly thought Mulder. Shaking off his feelings of paranoia, Mulder motioned for the others to stop. He reached into the small bag hanging off his belt and took out a small insulated box where he would store the vials of vaccine.  
  
When he was ready Mulder nodded and McKenzie opened the door.  
  
XXX  
  
Alex Krycek stood in the security operations center glancing over the bank of monitors that were located on the desk in front of him. The security cameras were operating despite the power failure and were providing him with glimpses all around the facility.  
  
Finally he spotted what he was looking for. Three men dressed in black working their way slowly down the front stairwell towards the basement.  
  
Krycek tapped a few keys on the keyboard in front of him and the image became larger. He smiled to himself and tapped the keys again making the image larger still.  
  
"Well, well, well, look who we have here." Krycek said recognizing one of the figures almost immediately. "Fox Mulder. They must be getting pretty desperate to send you in."  
  
Krycek turned slightly and picked up the phone sitting on the desk next to him. "They have entered the storage unit. Start the self-destruct sequence."  
  
Krycek put down the phone and glanced back at the monitors. The image of Mulder and his two companions standing in front of the storage room door had been replaced by a large countdown clock which was working its way down from 5:00.  
  
"It's a pity I can't wait around to watch you die Fox" Krycek said as he got up from his chair "but time is a wasting."  
  
XXX  
  
Mulder was a bit surprised to find the door to the storage room unlocked when he went to open it. Still trying to shake off the feeling that something was wrong, he pushed the door opened and went inside.  
  
The room was enormous with large shelving units about ten feet high lined up in rows. Mulder quickly looked at the shelves and noticed that they seemed to hold some sort of records.  
  
His eyebrows shot up as he quickly realized that they were arranged alphabetically. He was standing in the middle of the "B's".  
  
He ran towards the latter part of the alphabet stopping when he reached the letter "S". If he could find a file on Scully, perhaps he would be able to find out the true answers behind the chip in her neck and her infertility.  
  
It took him only a minute to find her name. It was on the outside of a small box. Mulder grabbed it and opened it only to throw it down in frustration.  
  
It was empty.  
  
McKenzie would had been following Mulder, frowned at him. "Aren't we supposed to be looking for some kind of medicine?" he whispered looking at the empty box.  
  
"Yeah, we are." Mulder stopped to think a minute. "It may be located elsewhere. I think we should split up so we can cover ground more quickly. It won't be long before someone will notice that the power has been turned off."  
  
McKenzie turned to Hopkins who had come up behind him. "Sounds like a good idea. You and Mulder head to the left, I will head to the right. We will signal using the radio when we find something."  
  
"Things would go much quicker if we all split up." Mulder said looking back and forth between the two men.  
  
"That may be, but we have our orders not to leave you alone under any circumstances." Hopkins said in a tone of voice that told Mulder that he never defied orders.  
  
Mulder nodded and he and Hopkins headed left walking along the outside wall of the storage room looking for other doorways.  
  
XXX  
  
Upstairs in the security operations center, the monitors read 1:42.  
  
XXX  
  
Mulder sighed in relief when they finally stumbled upon a door. Hopkins checked it and then swung it open for him. Unlike the storage room, this room was small, dark and contained only one small set of shelves pushed up along the backside of the wall.  
  
Mulder removed his night goggles and pulled out his flashlight to get a better look at the small containers lining the wall.  
  
Mulder squinted in the poor light. The containers looked like small thermoses. He grabbed one and opened it. In the middle of the container were two small vials of greenish liquid.  
  
Mulder pulled one out and showed it to Hopkins who almost smiled at the sight of them before motioning to Mulder to hurry up.  
  
Mulder grabbed several of the containers and opening them, quickly placed as many vials as he could in his special container. He had one more than he could carry, so he simply held it in his hand assuming he would find a more secure place for it after they had cleared the building.  
  
Feeling quite pleased with the success of the mission, Mulder went back out into the stairwell with Hopkins to wait for McKenzie. He looked at the vial in his hand wondering exactly what the Federal Government planned to do with the knowledge he was going to provide them.  
  
Mulder was just about to put the vial into his pocket when a loud explosion tore through the heart of the storage room. Mulder was thrown against the base of the stairwell, his bag, weapon, goggles and flashlight scattering around him.  
  
His brain was just beginning to acknowledge the fact that he had been right about things going too smoothly before another explosion rocked the building and everything went black.  
  
Monday September 4th 7:00 AM Inside the remains of the Syndicate's Research Facility  
  
General Elliott stood in what was once the main foyer of the building shaking his head. The two story building that had stood here had been reduced to piles of rubble.  
  
Two young soldiers approached the General awaiting their orders. "Look for survivors and then begin to sift through this mess."  
  
Elliott didn't think that he would find anything of much use, but knew he would at least have to put in a good effort. Three men had lost their lives on this mission and he knew that the President would want to be able to tell their families that they had done everything they could to recover them.  
  
Elliott motioned to his Sergeant to follow him. "Jenkins, I want to make sure everything is properly documented. I don't want those asses at the CIA taking credit for our work here."  
  
Jenkins nodded and kept following. "Arrange a meeting with the President's Chief Of Staff . . ."  
  
Elliott was cut off by the shouts of one of his men. "I think I found something!" the soldier was yelling.  
  
Elliott looked at Jenkins and began to run towards the sound of the voice. He stopped when he saw the man crouching over two bodies. He walked slowly over to where they lay and circled around them.  
  
"Sir" the young soldier who had yelled out began "I think this one is still alive."  
  
Elliott squatted down next to the man and felt for a pulse. "You are right soldier, good work."  
  
He turned to Jenkins. "I want this man airlifted immediately to our facility in Idaho. I will accompany him personally."  
  
"And the other one Sir?" Jenkins asked even as he pulled out his phone.  
  
"Contact the FBI Director and give him our regrets. Tell him because of the Top Secret nature of this mission that the body must be placed immediately in a closed casket and there is to be no autopsy."  
  
"Sir?" Jenkins said a bit perplexed.  
  
"Are you questioning my orders Jenkins?" Elliott asked.  
  
"No Sir."  
  
XXX  
  
Monday September 4th 9:00 AM FBI Headquarters  
  
Director Williams hung up the phone and put his head in his hands not knowing exactly how he would find the words to tell Agent Scully what had happened out in Nebraska.  
  
He sighed deeply remembering again how much he hated this part of his job. He would start with AD Skinner and then, together, they would break the news to Agent Scully.  
  
++++  
  
End of part one. comments anyone? 


	2. Part Two

Time Is Running Out Part Two By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in Part One  
  
Monday September 4th 10:00 AM Assistant Director Skinner's Office  
  
"I don't believe it George." Walter Skinner said getting up from his desk and walking around to face his boss. "Are you trying to tell me that Agent Mulder, Fox Mulder, is dead?"  
  
"That is exactly what I am trying to tell you Walter. Now if you would just have a seat and calm down a minute I will tell you everything. Or at least everything I know."  
  
Skinner took a seat while Williams did the same. Williams licked his lips a few times trying to delay the inevitable.  
  
He took a deep breath and began with the meeting in the President's office and ending with the phone call he had received from General Elliott's assistant that morning informing him of Mulder's death.  
  
Skinner just looked at him when he was done. He was speechless for a minute then tried to speak calmly. "George, you have no right to send off one of my agents to such a dangerous mission without consulting with me first. Not only that, you could have at least given him a chance to say goodbye to . . ."  
  
Skinner stopped mid sentence realizing the task that lay ahead of him. "Christ, how am I ever going to tell Dana about this?" He asked. More to himself than to the Director.  
  
"You won't have to Walter; I have every intention of doing it myself. Although," he said with a weak smile "I am hoping to have you around when I do. If what I have heard about the relationship between Agents Mulder and Scully is true, she is going to need some support."  
  
XXX  
  
Dana Scully looked at the clock on the wall trying very hard to suppress the feeling of dread that was slowly but surely creeping over her. She tried to tell herself that she was overacting. That just because she hadn't heard from Mulder since Friday morning, it didn't mean that something had happened to him.  
  
She leaned back in her chair and willed herself not to look at the clock again. Logically speaking, it wasn't that unusual for her not to be in contact with Mulder over a weekend. For years, they had barely spoken between Friday evening and Monday morning unless it directly involved a case.  
  
But over the past month or so things were beginning to change between them. It had almost become a habit for Mulder to magically appear with a pizza in one hand and an incredibly bad movie in the other on Saturday night. They would eat, laugh at his movie selection and just enjoy each other's company.  
  
Scully reminded herself again not to worry. If something had happened to Mulder she would hear about it.  
  
The sound of the telephone made her jump out of her chair. She tried not to sound too desperate as she picked it up. "Scully." She said a bit too loudly.  
  
It wasn't Mulder as she had hoped but Skinner asking her to come up to his office as soon as possible.  
  
Scully hung up the phone, stood up and straightened out her suit jacket while trying to not let the fear overcome her.  
  
XXX  
  
Scully walked through the door and at the sight of the Director sitting in front of Skinner's desk she began to feel a bit faint.  
  
George Williams only spoke to lowly agents like herself at the annual Christmas party or when something horrible had happened.  
  
"Sir." She said quietly when he rose to shake her hand.  
  
"Have a seat Agent Scully." Williams said trying hard to keep his eyes on her face.  
  
"Thank you Sir." Scully said sitting down and giving Skinner a look of pure panic. "Can you tell me what this is about Sir?" She began. "Has something happened to Mulder?"  
  
Williams was slightly shocked at her direct question. Perhaps there was more to the rumors about the relationship between her and Mulder than he had thought. She did seem to have a sixth sense when it came to her partner.  
  
Williams nodded and began. "Last Friday, Mulder was hand selected by the President to break into a research facility being run by the Syndicate. He left immediately after the meeting." Williams tried not to sound too guilty. "Because of the Top Secret nature of his mission, he was not allowed to tell anyone that he was leaving."  
  
Scully broke in at this point obviously quite annoyed. "With all due respect Sir, why wasn't I sent out to this facility with Mulder? I am his partner, after all, and my security clearance is actually higher than his."  
  
"I appreciate your desire to be with your partner Agent Scully, but this was a very risky mission. Your mother has already lost one child to the actions of the Syndicate. We had no desire to let her loose another one."  
  
Scully just glared at him and then turned to Skinner. "And you knew about this?" She asked barely able to keep from yelling at him.  
  
It wasn't Skinner who answered her but Williams. "AD Skinner learned about this mission just this morning. If I may continue?"  
  
Scully nodded still fuming.  
  
"Agent Mulder and two members of Special Services arrived at the facility early Sunday morning. From what we can tell, they managed to enter the building but were then caught in some sort of trap."  
  
"Trap?" Scully said barely able to get the word out.  
  
"The building was rigged with explosives. They went off while the men were inside the building. Two died at the scene and one man was airlifted out of there this morning. It seems doubtful that he will survive either."  
  
Williams stopped then hoping that Scully would understand what had happened without him having to spell it out for her any more than he already had.  
  
Scully's face grew pale. So pale that she looked like a fine porcelain doll that would break at the slightest amount of contact.  
  
"Are you telling me that Agent Mulder is dead Sir?" Scully said just above a whisper.  
  
Williams nodded. "General Elliott himself identified the body and is making arrangements to have it shipped here."  
  
Scully swallowed once then twice and looked up at Skinner. "I would like to do the . . ."  
  
"NO!" Skinner said much louder than he had planned. "For security reasons the casket is to remain closed and even if it wasn't do you really think I would let you perform an autopsy on Mulder?"  
  
"I need to know what happened to him." Scully said trying hard not to let the tears fall.  
  
"From what General Elliott told me, all three men were near the site of the explosion and very badly burned."  
  
"Then how can we know for sure that it is him?" Scully said looking for a small bit of hope on which to hang.  
  
"Elliott recognized his black hiking boots and what remained of his black leather jacket. It is him Agent Scully." Williams reached over and covered her small hand with his. "I am so sorry."  
  
He gave her hand a gentle pat and rose to leave. "Take whatever time you need Agent Scully." Williams glanced over to Skinner, who was already rising from his chair, and left.  
  
Skinner walked over to Scully and stood directly in front of her watching as her tears began to fall more freely.  
  
She looked up at him. "I don't suppose he faked it this time." She said trying her best to smile but failing horribly.  
  
"No, I am afraid this time it is real Dana." Skinner said softly.  
  
Scully got up then and was about the leave the room when suddenly she found herself in Skinner's arms sobbing into his chest.  
  
Wentworth Hospital Wentworth, Idaho Monday September 4th 1 PM  
  
General Elliott paced the hall waiting to speak to the doctor in charge. Elliott was not very good at waiting and was especially not good about it when one of his men's lives hung in the balance. He was about to send Jenkins, who was shadowing him as usual, in to see what was happening when the doors opened and the doctor finally came out.  
  
"General Elliott?" the doctor asked extending his hand. "I am Doctor Fleming. I have been working on the man you brought in."  
  
"And?" Elliott asked impatiently.  
  
"Looks like he is one lucky fellow. He suffered some pretty serious injuries to his abdomen, chest and head but there appears to be no internal bleeding. He has been stitched up and his broken ribs wrapped but with the right care, he should be as right as rain in a month or so."  
  
"Excellent." Elliott said smiling. "I would like to remove him to our own facility as soon as possible Doctor."  
  
The doctor frowned at this. "General, he should stay here for a few days for observation" he began but when he saw the look of determination on the General's face he relented. "That shouldn't be a problem General as long as you can guarantee him the proper care."  
  
"That I will do." Elliott said extending his hand out to let the doctor know that their conversation was over.  
  
The doctor shook Elliott's hand and was halfway through the door when he stopped. He paused for a second and turned and walked back to Elliott while fishing something out of his pocket.  
  
Elliott tried to hide his shocked expression as he accepted the small vial the doctor handed him. "This was in his hand. I can't believe with all that happened that he didn't drop it." The doctor shrugged when Elliott made no comment and quickly went through the doors back to his patients.  
  
Elliott turned the vial over several times while muttering "Well, I'll be damned." to himself. He motioned for Jenkins to join him and promptly handed him the vial.  
  
"Make sure this vaccine gets put into proper storage immediately Jenkins." He turned to leave when the look of puzzlement on Jenkin's face stopped him. "Is there a problem Jenkins?"  
  
Jenkins looked a bit sheepish but answered. "If this is the vaccine, then isn't it safe to assume that is it Agent Mulder back there, not McKenzie or Hopkins?"  
  
"Oh it is definitely Agent Mulder. I recognized him even though his face was pretty banged up. He was the only one of the three wearing civilian boots."  
  
Jenkins nodded and paused before asking the question he knew would annoy his boss. "Should I get on the horn and notify the FBI that their man is still alive?"  
  
Elliott smiled and put his arm around Jenkins. "I think we will let them think Agent Mulder is dead a bit longer Jenkins. You see, his partner has a habit of trying to locate him whenever he wanders off and we don't want her out here poking her nose into our business. When the time is right and the vaccine problem solved, we will return Mulder to DC."  
  
Jenkins paled a bit at this but knew better than to say anything.  
  
Thursday September 7th Noon Maggie Scully's House  
  
The house was overflowing with members of the FBI. Scully looked at all the faces, many of whom had mocked Mulder during his lifetime and knew that the only reason they had attended the funeral before coming here was because Director Williams had mandated that every agent possible be in attendance.  
  
William's order was pretty much standard procedure for any agent's funeral, but Scully couldn't help but smile at the irony of the situation.  
  
Maggie Scully and Walter Skinner had stood by Scully both literally and figuratively since she had heard the horrible news. Skinner had contacted Maggie immediately after his meeting with Scully and had insisted on driving her himself to her mother's house.  
  
Maggie had quickly and efficiently taken care of all the funeral arrangements. The ceremony was held at the funeral home and had been brief but touching. The eulogy by Frohike had brought tears to even the toughest agent.  
  
Scully now sat in her Mother's living room accepting condolences like she was Mulder's widow not partner. Maggie sat next to her only leaving her on occasion to make sure everything was running smoothly.  
  
Finally the last of the agents left and the only ones remaining were the three Lone Gunmen and Skinner. Skinner hung around awkwardly for awhile before telling Scully, again, to take all the time she needs before returning to work.  
  
Scully smiled briefly and watched Skinner leave. It was only after he had shut the front door that she started to relax.  
  
"Thanks Mom." Scully said getting up and walking over to her mother and giving her kiss on the cheek. "Everything was beautiful."  
  
Maggie just gave Scully a quick smile before heading off to the kitchen to confront the large stack of dishes waiting for her attention.  
  
"Dana" Frohike said walking over to her and taking her hands into his own. "Is there anything we can do for you?"  
  
Scully smiled at looked at Mulder's friends. Their faces were etched with grief as well. "No, just don't be strangers, okay?"  
  
Scully smiled at them and accepted their embraces before escorting them to the front door. "Thanks a lot guys. For everything. I don't think I could get through all of this without you."  
  
They all hugged again. Scully found herself totally drained when she had shut the front door. She needed sleep, badly.  
  
She looked briefly towards the kitchen, but couldn't really face making conversation about Mulder's funeral with her mother. Scully walked up to her room, changed into a pair of sweatpants and one of Mulder's old t- shirts and climbed into bed.  
  
Outside Alex Krycek sat in his car watching the last of the guests leave.  
  
Baltic Labs Wentworth, Idaho Friday September 15th 2AM  
  
"Scully, help me!" Mulder screamed as he began to thrash around in his bed. The pain resulting from his movements only made him yell for help louder. "Scully!"  
  
Alicia Duran sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes before looking at the clock. "Not again." She mumbled as she dragged her tired body out of bed and down the hall to check on her patient wondering how one man could have so many nightmares.  
  
Mulder was still screaming and thrashing when she entered the room. She paused a second admiring his body as he tossed and turned. Even hurt and wrapped in bandages, this man was extraordinary.  
  
She sat on the corner of his bed and gathered him into his arms much the way a mother would comfort a child. She held him close and rocked him slowly whispering softly to him until the tension left his body.  
  
"Scully?" He asked as she helped him lay back down again. "Scully, is that you?"  
  
"Hush now." Alicia said gently arranging his covers around him and stroking his head. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
"Scully." Mulder whispered as the sleep overtook him again.  
  
9 AM  
  
General Elliott walked into the small lounge at Baltic Labs with Jenkins following behind him as usual.  
  
"Ms. Duran?" he said as he approached a very tired looking woman who was sitting at the table going over the morning paper.  
  
"Yes, I am Alicia Duran." She said standing up and extending her hand "And you are?"  
  
"General Elliott." he replied shaking his hand while admiring the woman standing in front of him.  
  
She was of average height with wavy blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders and green eyes that spoke of her Irish heritage. Her hair and her eyes were nothing in comparison to her body. Alicia worked out often and the tight shirt she was wearing showed off the fruit of her labors nicely.  
  
"I have come to see how our patient is doing?" Elliott finished after he managed to pull his eyes off of her.  
  
"Agent Mulder, do you mean?" Alicia said making note of Elliott's interest in her for future reference. "He seems to be making good progress but I would have a better idea of how he was doing if you let me take him off the sedatives."  
  
"Not until his injuries are fully healed." Elliott said following Alicia down the hall towards Mulder's room.  
  
"That could take another month or even more." Alicia protested as she paused to open Mulder's door. "When you figure in any physical therapy that may be needed, he may not be up and around until Christmas."  
  
"Perfect." Elliott said looking down at Mulder as he slept. The longer he could keep Mulder sedated, the longer he wouldn't have to worry about him slipping away and heading back to DC.  
  
Elliott saw the noticeably improved Mulder and complimented Alicia on it. "Ms. Duran, have you made any progress on the vaccine Agent Mulder was kind enough to provide you?"  
  
"I am getting there Sir, but then again, with only me out here taking care of him" Alicia pointed to Mulder "and all the research it is taking longer than I would like."  
  
"I am sure you and Mulder, when he is able to help you, will be able to get us some answers." Elliott said heading back for the main doors. "I will be in touch Ms. Duran."  
  
Outside in car, Elliott motioned for Jenkins to start driving while he pulled out his cell phone. Within minutes he was speaking with the President's Chief of Staff.  
  
"Harry, things are going quite well here. Mulder is progressing nicely and I am sure that when he is fully recovered physically that he and Ms. Duran will become very close."  
  
He laughed out loud at the off color remark the Chief of Staff made regarding Alicia and Mulder. "You are right Harry. If I wasn't so scared of my wife killing me, I would do her myself."  
  
Elliott didn't even notice Jenkins shaking his head at the actions of his employer.  
  
Baltic Labs December 18th 9:00 AM  
  
Alicia Duran looked back towards General Elliott waiting for his signal. At the small nod of his head she slowly pulled out the IV needle that had been in Mulder's arm since his arrival almost three months ago.  
  
"How long do you think it will take him to come around Ms. Duran?" the General asked as he slowly walked around Mulder's bed.  
  
"I am not sure Sir." Alicia replied "I have never been involved with a situation quite like this one before." She glanced at the General quickly before continuing. "I imagine it should not take long."  
  
"Excellent." Elliott said looking Alicia over closely again. "And you are clear on your orders of what to do with Agent Mulder when he does wake up?"  
  
"Yes Sir I am. I will not only bring him up to speed on his condition and the need to help me analyze the information on the upcoming colonization but I am to also befriend him." She looked down at the floor at this statement.  
  
"He is a good looking man Ms. Duran and you are a good looking woman. Surely since you are both stuck here for a while it won't be too much of a hardship on you to try and make him fall in love with you?"  
  
"No Sir." Alicia said still looking at the floor wishing that Elliott didn't have such power over her. But with her brother locked up in a military prison, she had little choice but to do what he wanted.  
  
Elliott walked over to her and gently stroked her face. "Perhaps soon, I will find time in my busy schedule to stay here more than a few minutes. Would you like that Alicia?"  
  
Alicia looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Yes Sir, I would."  
  
Elliott raised an eyebrow at her and left her with her patient.  
  
It took Mulder close to four hours to start to come around. It began with him mumbling the word 'Scully' over and over again making Alicia wonder, again, just who this 'Scully' person was.  
  
Alicia sat by his bed with his hand in hers looking at him as he struggled to open his eyes. The General was right, he was very easy to look at and since she had been bathing him for the past few months she had seen every inch of him. As much as she hated to admit it, thoughts of him naked making love to her had appeared often in her dreams.  
  
Finally he opened his eyes and looked at her trying with all his might to focus.  
  
"Scully?" he whispered through parched lips. "Scully, is that you?"  
  
Alicia squeezed his hand gently. "No, I am Alicia Duran. I have been taking care of you since the incident at the research facility."  
  
Mulder face showed immediate disappointment as he closed his eyes and tried to gather his thoughts and remember what had happened that night.  
  
He had been standing in the stairwell of the facility with Hopkins waiting for McKenzie when the explosion hit. Frankly, he found it hard to believe that he had survived.  
  
"Do you remember who you are?" Alicia said holding his head so he could sip some water.  
  
Mulder smiled at this. "Special Agent Fox Mulder." he responded without much feeling. "I am afraid I am not at liberty to discuss my mission though."  
  
Alicia smiled at this. "Not to worry Fox, I am assigned to the same mission as you. To work on simulating the alien vaccine and to come up with a plan for disbursement."  
  
Mulder frowned at this. The woman sitting on his bed did not look like any of the research scientists he had ever seen. She wore a skin tight shirt that left very little to the imagination and jeans shorts that appeared to have been painted on.  
  
"How long have I been out?" Mulder asked struggling to get to a sitting position.  
  
"About three months." Alicia said not meeting his eyes.  
  
"Three months! What was wrong with me?" Mulder said feeling the anger begin to rise within him.  
  
"Cracked ribs; some major bruising; quite a few cuts . . ." Alicia began before Mulder cut her off.  
  
"I am no Doctor Alicia, but I don't think those injuries would cause me to be out of it for THREE MONTHS!"  
  
Alicia swallowed hard and looked at the ground again. "The medical staff advising me thought it was best to keep you sedated until your injuries healed completely."  
  
"I see." Mulder said leaning back against the pillows. It was obvious that General Elliott had been once again worried about him escaping back to DC.  
  
"Where exactly are we?" he asked.  
  
"Wentworth, Idaho." Alicia replied. "We are located just outside of town. Basically hiding in plain view of everyone. It is requested that we only leave under supervision though."  
  
Mulder nodded. "So that explains this little bracelet on my ankle. Let's them know exactly where I am at all times."  
  
"Yes." Alicia said looking up at him. Her plan for befriending Mulder seemed to be going very badly. He seemed to hate her.  
  
"And the reason you don't have one is why?" Mulder asked glancing down at the bare ankle.  
  
"General Elliott and I have an agreement." she said barely above a whisper.  
  
This comment made Mulder feel some pity for her. "Does he have something on you?" he asked taking her hand.  
  
"Not me, my brother." Alicia answered still looking at the floor.  
  
"Then I guess we both have no choice but to cooperate, at least for now." Mulder said forcing himself to sound more cheerful.  
  
"I don't suppose you have anything to eat out there in the kitchen?" he asked. "I am starving."  
  
"I think I can whip something up for you." Alicia said standing up thankful to have something to do. "Your clothes are in the dresser there. Let me know if you need any help."  
  
Mulder watched her walk out of the room. He couldn't help but notice just how short her shorts really were. "Damn, this assignment may be harder than I thought." He thought to himself as he swung his legs out over the side of the bed.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ End of chapter two - comments anyone? 


	3. Part Three

Time Is Running Out Part Three By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in Part One  
  
December 20th 8 PM FBI Holiday Party Washington DC  
  
Scully got out of the cab and pulled her coat around her tighter in a feeble attempt to keep the cold December wind from cutting right through her. She looked up at the Smithsonian all done up in white lights and wondered why she had let AD Skinner talk her into coming.  
  
She smiled to herself as she walked up the steps to the main entrance. She knew exactly why she was here. She was lonely. In the months since Mulder's death she had thrown herself into her work on the X-files cutting herself off from practically everyone besides her mother and Skinner.  
  
She knew it was time to go back out into the world again and she was scared. Scared to face a world that no longer had Mulder in it.  
  
Scully had always known that she and Mulder had been uncommonly close for partners. Practically everyone she knew in the FBI assumed that closeness had been based on a physical relationship between them. Only she and Mulder knew that what they shared was even more intimate than sex and that sooner or later their physical relationship would catch up with their emotional one.  
  
They had thought they had all the time in the world. They had been wrong.  
  
Scully walked through the main doors and into the lobby that boasted a large brightly lighted Christmas tree. She checked in with the guard at the door and proceeded into the gallery.  
  
It looked like something out of a fantasy. Twinkle lights were everywhere and they basked both the people mingling and the priceless artwork in a romantic light.  
  
Scully could hear the sounds of the orchestra playing in a distant room and found herself longing to dance. But with whom?  
  
She gave her wrap to the young man checking coats who, by the way he was looking at her, appreciated how she looked in the form fitting black velvet gown she was wearing that night.  
  
Scully smiled sweetly at the young man and decided to head over to the bar before she lost all of her courage and ran back home again.  
  
"A Cosmopolitan please." She said to the bar tender who appeared to be appreciating her outfit as well. Taking her drink she smiled her thanks and turned to find herself facing Tom Colton.  
  
"Good evening Dana." Tom said with a not-to-subtle look at her outfit. "You look absolutely stunning."  
  
"Thank you Tom." Scully replied taking a quick sip of her drink as she tried to think of an escape route.  
  
"I am glad that you have decided to take yourself out of mourning long enough to have a little fun tonight." Tom said placing his hand on her back and gently moving her away from the bar where they could have more privacy. "A beautiful thing like you shouldn't keep herself locked up in the basement."  
  
Scully fought the urge to throw her drink in his face opting instead to take another long sip. She smiled tactfully as Colton rambled on about the latest case they were working on in VCU, nodding at all the appropriate times and smiling weakly when he tried to be funny.  
  
"Dana, do you hear that song?" Colton said halfway through another boring story about how he single handedly solved a major crime. Scully nodded.  
  
"Well, it is one of my favorites so we simply must go dance."  
  
This comment got Scully's attention as her eyes snapped open with the thought of Tom Colton being able to put his hands on her. "Well, I don't know" Scully began but she was interrupted by Colton grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the dance floor.  
  
Scully downed the rest of her martini in one long gulp and managed to place her empty glass on a table as Colton pulled her towards the dance floor. She looked up briefly and wondered if Mulder, wherever he was, was looking down at her and laughing at her predicament.  
  
Colton pulled Scully a little too close to him and as she feared placed his hands a bit too low on her back. Scully sighed and cursed herself for not bringing her weapon with her.  
  
Colton's hand was beginning to creep downward when suddenly he stopped spinning her around and pulled back from her. Scully looked up to see Walter Skinner looking down at the two of them.  
  
"Colton, I hope you won't mind if I cut in." Skinner said with a perfectly straight face.  
  
"No, of course not Sir." Colton replied rather meekly as he stepped away from Scully. "Perhaps we can continue this later Dana."  
  
Scully simply smiled and stepped into the arms of Skinner. He, unlike Colton, held her in a most gentlemanly fashion. Scully tilted her head up and smiled at him. "Thank you Sir."  
  
Skinner smiled down at her. "Rank does have its privileges."  
  
Scully smiled and relaxed enjoying the feel of Skinner leading her around the dance floor. They danced another two songs together before Skinner suggested that they take a break and get a drink. Scully agreed and waited while Skinner fetched them each a drink.  
  
He gave Scully her glass and then motioned towards one of the quieter galleries where they could walk and talk in peace. They said nothing for a while just sipping their drinks and enjoying the paintings.  
  
The entire main floor of the gallery had been rented by the FBI for the occasion which meant that there were plenty of rooms through which to wander. They did so and before long found themselves far away from the actual party.  
  
Scully was admiring a painting when she felt Skinner come up behind her. "Dana, did I tell you how glad I am that you came here tonight?"  
  
Scully turned and looked up at him slightly surprised by the look in his eyes. "No, you didn't." she said softly.  
  
Skinner smiled down at her. "Well, I am. I promised myself that I wouldn't talk about work tonight but I just want to ask you again if you are sure about your decision to leave the X-files to do consulting work out of Quantico."  
  
Scully looked away then. "I am sure Sir. You and I both know that Mulder was the X-files. Without him and his ability to see things and believe things. . ." she stopped taking a deep breath before continuing. "I don't think that I am capable of working on the X-files without him Sir."  
  
She felt Skinner come up behind her again and this time draped his arm over her shoulder and give her a little squeeze. "I think I will be more useful to both the Bureau and myself consulting out of Quantico."  
  
"Understood Dana. But you know if you change your mind, all you have to do is ask and I will see to it that you get reassigned."  
  
"Thank you Sir." Scully said leaning on him a bit more.  
  
"Now that my official business is taken care of, I was wondering if you I could ask you for a personal favor." Skinner said sounding just a bit nervous.  
  
"Anything Sir." Scully said turning towards him looking concerned.  
  
Skinner took a look at her face and chuckled making Scully relax. "Since you will no longer be working for me, I was wondering if you would drop the 'Sir' at least outside of the office."  
  
Scully smiled up at him. "I think I could do that Walter" she said teasingly. "Is there anything else?"  
  
"Would you allow me to see you home?" Skinner said shyly.  
  
Scully looked at him a bit confused for a second and then the implications of what he was asking began to dawn on her. "Yes, Walter you may but first I would like to dance some more." Scully answered taking his hand and leading from the room back towards the music.  
  
February 1st Baltic Labs 6:30 PM  
  
Mulder glanced up from his computer and had to laugh at the site in front of him. Alicia was standing up on a chair trying desperately to reach a bottle of spaghetti sauce that was placed on a high shelf.  
  
"Why don't you let me get that for you?" Mulder said getting to his feet and walking slowly over to where Alicia was precariously perched. "All we need is for you to take a spill. Believe me, you don't want me nursing you back to health."  
  
Alicia was about to tell him that she could think of little that she would like more than being nursed by him, but wisely kept her mouth shut choosing instead to take advantage of his close proximity to lean her body against his.  
  
Mulder stood by her and reached the bottle in question presenting it to her before grabbing her around the waist and swinging her to the ground with great flourish. He dropped his hands from her waist immediately when he saw the look of longing flash across her face. Ever since he had gotten back on his feet, more or less, Alicia had been quite obvious in her desire to get him back on his back again.  
  
Not that it wasn't a tempting offer, it was. Unfortunately for Mulder his desires were coming back to him as well as his strength. It was only the thought of Scully waiting for his return back to DC that kept him from taking Alicia up on her offer.  
  
"I know it is my turn to cook tonight. I hope you don't mind spaghetti again."  
  
"Not at all. I love spaghetti." Mulder replied turning his attention back to his computer. He wasn't particularly looking forward to eating spaghetti again for the third time that week, but he didn't want to disappoint Alicia. From what little she had told him, she had been forced to take on this assignment much the way he had. The least he could do for her is to try to make it as bearable as possible.  
  
General Elliott had graced them with his company earlier in that week. He had spoken very little to Mulder other than to present him with a huge stack of data that the government had accumulated on the Syndicate over the past few months. Apparently his job was to analyze that while Alicia figured out the serum. Mulder's inquiries about Scully had basically gone unanswered.  
  
Elliott had taken Alicia aside for a long private chat. Mulder assumed that part of their conversation had to do with him but never dreamed that it had been centered around him. Elliott was very interested in Alicia's attempt to distract Mulder from any desire to return to DC and was quite disappointed to find out that Mulder still often called out for Scully in his sleep.  
  
It became clear to the General that he would have to do something to help break Mulder's tie to her. The solution was an obvious one.  
  
After putting the water on to boil, Alicia walked over to one of the side tables and picked up a newspaper. Walking over to where Mulder was sitting, she handed it to him.  
  
"This arrived with our weekly briefing." She said pointing to the small post-it note stuck to the paper. It read 'FBI story for Mulder'.  
  
Mulder pushed back from his computer a bit and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I wonder what little tidbit General Elliott actually deems important enough for me to know about. Maybe we got a new director or . . . ."  
  
Mulder stopped mid-sentence his eyes growing huge at the story he had spotted. His eyes swept across the story once and then twice before he threw the paper down and stormed into his room slamming the door behind him.  
  
Curious, Alicia picked up the paper and scanned it quickly. Nothing popped out at her immediately but when she slowed down she spotted it. A small story buried in the midst of the daily gossip section.  
  
Sorry ladies, but today the FBI confirmed the engagement of one of Washington's most eligible and handsome bachelors, Assistant Director Walter Skinner to Special Agent Dana Scully. No date has been set.  
  
"So that's who Scully is." Alicia said to herself understand now why Mulder had been ignoring her constant come-on's. "Well, this piece of news should make my job a little easier."  
  
February 14th 7:00 PM Baltic Labs  
  
Mulder let the water pour over his head trying once again to push images of Scully and Skinner out of his mind. He tried to be happy for her, he really did. He knew that she deserved to have a relatively normal life and he had no doubts that Skinner would take good care of her.  
  
He was mad at her for leaving him but even madder at himself for always assuming that Dana Scully would sit around forever waiting for him to get his act together. Obviously she had gotten tired of waiting.  
  
He couldn't blame her.  
  
Mulder grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself before walking out into his bedroom. He opened the bedroom door and stopped short blinking at the sight in front of him.  
  
His room had been filled with candles, dozens of them, all lighted and filling his room with a golden light. He stepped into his room puzzled and his mouth fell open when he spotted Alicia lying across his bed wearing the smallest of teddies and black high heeled shoes.  
  
Mulder gulped trying to think of a way out of his predicament even as parts of his body were already agreeing the Alicia's plan.  
  
"Hi there." Alicia said her eyes filled with desire as she looked up and down his still damp body.  
  
"Alicia," Mulder said grabbing his towel a bit more firmly as he entered the room. "I don't think that this is such a good idea."  
  
"Why not?" Alicia said moving herself slowly in his direction until she stood directly in front of him. Mulder tried desperately not to look at her heaving breasts that she had presented to him.  
  
"Well, we are supposed to be professionals." Mulder began gasping as Alicia began to tug on his towel.  
  
"Even professionals can have fun Fox." She said reaching under the towel. "Now what do we have here? I think I had better get a closer look."  
  
Mulder opened his mouth to protest but it was too late. She had already won the battle.  
  
February 15th 7 AM Dana Scully's Apartment  
  
Scully felt a strange weight on her as she slowly opened her eyes. It took a second or two for her brain to clear enough for her to realize that the weight was the arm of her new lover draped protectively across her.  
  
She turned and looked at him still not believing that she had taken Walter Skinner to bed. He must of sensed her movement for he pulled her closer to him and snuggled his face into her hair.  
  
Scully relaxed into his embrace and closed her eyes trying to remember exactly how she had ended up in this situation.  
  
It had all began at the FBI party back in December. She and Skinner had danced and talked all night before he had escorted her home. She had been nervous as he walked her to her door, but he had been the perfect gentleman only placing a chaste kiss on her cheek before leaving.  
  
A week later she had moved out of her office in the basement and back to Quantico where there had been a large bouquet of flowers, from Skinner, waiting to greet her.  
  
With Scully no longer under his chain of command, he was free to court her and court her he did. He took her to the nicest restaurants and to the hottest shows. He had charmed her mother, stared down her brother and had held her when Mulder's tombstone had arrived and was placed at his grave.  
  
It was that night, when Scully had been able to finally say 'goodbye' to Mulder that he had kissed her properly. That had been two weeks ago and when Skinner had asked her out for Valentine's Day, she had told him that she would rather stay in and had offered to cook him dinner.  
  
Scully had been a wreck all day. When she was younger she had cooked all the time but during her years with the X-files, her culinary skills consisted mainly of deciding which type of takeout to order in when Mulder stopped by.  
  
Her relationship with Skinner was so different than what her relationship with Mulder had been and she wanted to reflect that in her choices for that evening. Where as with Mulder she would have been comfortable wearing old sweats and eating pizza, with Skinner she wanted to look her best and impress him with her cooking.  
  
Skinner had arrived promptly carrying a bottle of her favorite wine. He had complimented her on her outfit and the delicious smells coming out of the kitchen. Skinner was no fool and understood the implications of Scully's invitation but he was very careful to let her take the lead.  
  
He had been the perfect gentleman only kissing her upon his arrival until after the dinner was done and she was standing at the kitchen sink getting the dishes ready to soak. Only then had he come up behind and wrapped his arms around her planting small kisses along her neck.  
  
Scully moaned softly at his touch, the first he had made along these lines with her, and Skinner had taken that as encouragement. "Leave them." He said huskily as he slowly began to devour her neck.  
  
Scully said nothing but stripped the rubber gloves she had been wearing off her hands before turning towards him. She looked up and saw nothing but affection and desire in his eyes as he bent down and picked her up.  
  
Scully smiled at the memory of the rest of the evening. She would have never guessed that a man as strong as Skinner could be so tender, so loving. He had made her realize just how much she had missed being with a man.  
  
Behind her she could feel Skinner begin to wake. He snuggled against her his hands beginning their seductive stroking. "Good morning." He said his voice deep from sleep. Scully turned to them and they began again.  
  
May 1st 1:30 PM Maggie Scully's House  
  
Maggie Scully poured her daughter a cup of tea and sat down across from her. "Are you going to tell me what is bothering you so much Dana?"  
  
Scully smiled at her mother surprised, yet again, at how easily her mother knew when something was bothering her.  
  
"It's about Walter Mom." Scully said reaching for a cookie and nibbling on it.  
  
"What about Walter Dana? You two seem to get along so well." Maggie said suddenly concerned.  
  
"Well, that's the problem Mom. We get along great. We have a good time together and understand each other's work commitments."  
  
"Then what is it Dana?" Maggie asked.  
  
"It's just that he isn't. . . he isn't. . ." Scully began.  
  
"He isn't Fox." Maggie said softly. "You still love him that much honey."  
  
Scully looked at her mother shocked at such a statement. She had never admitted her feelings for Mulder to anyone, even herself.  
  
"Don't look so shocked honey." Maggie said smiling at her daughter. "Maybe you fooled a lot of people, but you two didn't fool me."  
  
"No we just fooled each other." Scully thought to herself before speaking. "So what do I do Mom, I think Walter is thinking about marriage."  
  
Maggie nodded understandingly at her daughter. She liked Walter, a lot, but knew that her daughter would never feel for him what she felt for Mulder. She also knew that Walter was no fool and had probably realized this himself.  
  
"Talk to him Dana. He loves you. He will understand."  
  
"I hope so Mom. I would hate to loose him too."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++ end of part three - what do you think? 


	4. Part Four

Time Is Running Out Part Four By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Information located in Part One  
  
June 7th 6:30 PM Baltic Labs  
  
Alicia looked at Mulder over dinner and frowned at him. "Fox, I think we need to talk about some things."  
  
"Okay." Mulder said pushing back his chair and giving her his complete attention.  
  
"I have been thinking about us." She began.  
  
"Us?" Mulder asked sounding a bit confused.  
  
"I don't really know how to ask you this so I am just going to go right ahead and ask. Okay?" Alicia said knowing that she was rambling.  
  
Mulder nodded and she continued. "Do you love me Fox?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Mulder said shocked by the question.  
  
"Do you love me?" Alicia repeated.  
  
Mulder didn't answer and after a moment she spoke. "I didn't think so."  
  
She smiled at the look of concern that appeared on his face. "Don't worry about it because I don't think I love you either. I wouldn't have brought it up at all except for the fact that General Elliott called this morning and told me that we are being moved to a more elaborate facility tomorrow."  
  
"More elaborate? Do you mean I actually get to see the sight of day?"  
  
Alicia laughed at this. "Be serious Fox, you know that you have been allowed out pretty much since the beginning of the year."  
  
"True enough, but I must admit I will not miss being stuck in this old house." He reached over and took her hand. "But what does all of this have to do with you and I being in love?"  
  
Alicia blushed a bit at this. "Well, a new facility will mean new people and I just wanted to make sure we knew where we stood with each other. . ."  
  
Mulder cut her off laughing. "Are you that eager to find yourself another lover Alicia? I am sorry that I left you so wanting."  
  
Alicia blushed. She and Mulder hadn't slept together all that often but when they did, he hadn't left her wanting for anything. "You know that's not it."  
  
"I know. You have my permission to sleep with whomever you want whenever you want."  
  
"Thanks a lot." She said getting up and walking over to where he sat. "I was hoping that since this will be our last night together" she sat on his lap with one leg on either side of him "that maybe you could do that thing. . ." she stopped suddenly shy.  
  
"What thing?" Mulder said already beginning to unbutton her shirt.  
  
"You know, that thing where you . . ."  
  
Mulder laughed and stood wrapping Alicia's legs around him as he carried her to the bedroom. "Oh that thing. I think I might be able to manage it."  
  
Mulder lay on his back looking at the ceiling while Alicia snuggled against him. Out of habit, not love, he placed a small kiss on the top of her head.  
  
"Fox, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Alicia, after what we just did, I don't think there are a whole lot of secrets left between us."  
  
She chuckled and then became serious. "You still love her don't you?"  
  
"Who?" Mulder asked closing his eyes in an attempt to keep an image from popping into his mind.  
  
"Scully."  
  
"Scully?" Mulder responded knowing that he hadn't answered her question.  
  
"Yes, Scully. You called out that name practically every night when you first got here. I always wondered who 'Scully' was until I saw that piece in the paper."  
  
Mulder grunted his acknowledgement. He carried that news clipping around in his wallet. He had no idea why.  
  
They were silent for a couple of minutes and Mulder hoped that she had fallen asleep. She hadn't.  
  
"You didn't answer me. Do you still love her?"  
  
"Yeah, I do."  
  
July 4th 10 AM Mulder's Grave  
  
Skinner had not been all that surprised to find Scully gone when he had woken that morning. She often left in the early hours of the morning to return to her apartment to get ready for work. They had become much closer over the past few months but Skinner knew that Scully was still holding something back.  
  
She was still not willing or able to give herself completely to him. Skinner realized this and accepted it. He would wait.  
  
He showered quickly and had called her apartment wanting to meet her for lunch. There was an orchestra playing on the Mall that afternoon and he thought it would be the perfect way for them to spend the holiday.  
  
When there was no answer at her apartment he had tried her cell phone only to be greeted there as well by her voice mail. He had then tried calling her mother's house even as he had chastised himself for being the overprotective boyfriend.  
  
Maggie had answered the phone and had been quite sure where he would be able to find her daughter. Apparently, every Fourth of July when they could get away, Mulder had taken Scully to the most bizarre place he could find to watch the fireworks. Maggie assumed that Scully had snuck off to visit Mulder's grave.  
  
Skinner had thanked Maggie and hung up the phone wondering what he should do. The part of him that was Scully's lover had to admit to being a bit jealous over her desire to visit the grave of her dead partner. The part of him that was Scully's friend thought he should be there for her.  
  
Scully's friend won out and Skinner quickly found himself on the way to the cemetery where Mulder was buried. He stopped when he spotted her squatting down in front of his tombstone.  
  
Skinner assumed she was tidying up the flowers that were planted there, but when he looked closer he realized that she seemed to be talking. A wave of overwhelming sadness came over him as he watched the woman he loved pour out her soul.  
  
He gave her a few minutes and when she seemed to be done talking walking silently up behind her. She must of sensed his presence for she spoke to him without looking up.  
  
"Do you think I am crazy talking to a dead man?" She said plucking a dead flower from its stalk.  
  
"Not at all. I still go and ask my father advice from time to time." Skinner said placing a gentle hand under her arm and helping her up.  
  
"Really?" Scully asked her eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"Really." Skinner responding opening his arms and gathering her in. She didn't cry but he stroked her head tenderly just the same. "You still love him." It was a statement not a question.  
  
"Yeah, I think I do. Of course it would have probably done us both more good if I had bothered to tell him when he was still alive."  
  
Skinner pulled back from her. "Are you trying to tell me that you and Mulder never. . ."  
  
"Never." Scully smiled despite herself. "Hard to believe isn't it?"  
  
"Well, I don't plan on making the same mistake with you." Skinner said cupping her head in his hands. "You do know I love you and I will wait as long as it takes."  
  
Scully smiled at him. "I know Walter. I know."  
  
"But you could use a little more space right now, couldn't you?" Skinner said sadly.  
  
Scully nodded. "Not too much space, okay?"  
  
April 8th 6 AM The Oval Office, Washington DC  
  
"Thank you for getting here so quickly General." The President said as he rose from behind his desk to shake General Elliott's hand. "They tell me that things are starting to pick up as far as colonization is concerned."  
  
"That they are Sir, that they are." Elliott replied taking a seat and nodding to the other people assembled in the room.  
  
"And what is our readiness General?"  
  
"We have been working on the vaccine for about 18 months now as well as a plan on how to distribute it. We will be flying in our two experts to consult with the task force at the FBI today."  
  
"Excellent General and Director Williams will the FBI be ready?" the President asked turning his attention to the Director.  
  
"We don't foresee any problems Sir. The person we would like to head up our portion of the task force is not only an experienced field agent but a medical doctor who has been working out of Quantico for the past year."  
  
"Time is running out gentlemen. I expect a plan in place no later than June 1st with the distribution starting shortly thereafter. I don't want any little green men catching us with our pants down."  
  
April 8th 9 AM American Airlines Flight 1013  
  
Mulder looked at the window barely able to hide his enthusiasm. He was going home. Back to DC. Back to the X-files and most importantly back to Scully.  
  
He frowned to himself wondering if she was still working on the X-files or if she had been reassigned after her marriage to Skinner. "I wonder if I will have to call her 'Skinner' now?" he thought.  
  
Beside him Alicia was fast asleep. She was scared of flying and managed to pour not only several whiskey sours down her throat before they took off, but a couple of sleeping pills too. Mulder hoped he would be able to wake her when they got to DC.  
  
He had everything all planned out. First they would swing by the hotel and drop off their bags and they would head over to the FBI Building where he would make his triumphant return. Married or not, he knew that Scully would not appreciate finding out about his return during their meeting with the Director the following day.  
  
He couldn't wait.  
  
April 8th 4:30 PM FBI Headquarters, Washington DC  
  
Walter Skinner opened his office door and smiled at Scully. "Thank you for making the trip all the way down here Dana."  
  
"It was my pleasure Walter. I was just thinking to myself that it is has been too long since we have seen each other." Scully said standing back as Skinner walked past her.  
  
"Perhaps after the meeting tomorrow we can grab a bite to eat." Skinner said motioning for Scully to follow him.  
  
"I would like that. What exactly is this meeting about?" Scully said as they began their way towards the elevator.  
  
"I am not too sure. All I know is that the Director wants to see both of us in his office first thing tomorrow morning and that he wants us to bring everything we have on colonization." Skinner said "I thought we could head down to the basement and dig through the X-files."  
  
"Colonization? As in aliens?" Scully said "Why would they want that?"  
  
Skinner was about to answer when the sound of approaching footsteps stopped him. He glanced up to see who was approaching and did a quick double-take. Beside him he heard Scully gasp as she recognized the man who approached them.  
  
She grew paler with each footstep bringing them closer together and Skinner thought she would faint when the man stopped his conversation with his female companion and noticed them standing by the elevator.  
  
"Scully is that you?" Mulder asked breaking into a slow jog.  
  
Scully gasped again and began to frantically push the elevator button holding her breath until the doors had shut and she was safe inside.  
  
"What's with her?" Mulder said to an equally pale Skinner.  
  
"I think you surprised her." Skinner said so softly that Mulder had to strain to hear him. "I think you should go after her."  
  
"Me, Sir? Don't you think you should? After all, you are her husband." Mulder said still surprised at the reception he was getting. He was expecting hugs and tears not people who looked at him so strangely.  
  
"Husband? What are you talking about Mulder? Agent Scully and I aren't married." Skinner said sounding rather annoyed.  
  
Mulder looked quite puzzled for a moment and then a light went on in his head. "Oh my God, what have they done?" Mulder said under his breath as he pushed the elevator button.  
  
He got on and was on his way down to the lobby before he realized that he had left Alicia all alone with Skinner. He didn't really care.  
  
Alicia, who had watched events unfold with great interest, turned to Skinner. "What's with her, you would think she had just seen a ghost."  
  
Skinner truly noticing her for the first time snorted. "She has." Seeing her confused look he continued. "I am Assistant Director Walter Skinner. I'm Mulder's boss. Come with me, we will wait in my office until they get back."  
  
"How will he know where to find her?" Alicia asked following Skinner back towards his office.  
  
Skinner stopped and smiled down at the smaller woman. "He'll know. He always does."  
  
Mulder burst out of the front door of the FBI lobby and looked quickly from side to side. The sidewalks were relatively quiet and there was no sign of Scully anywhere.  
  
Mulder took a deep breath and forced his mind to concentrate. Where would Scully go? She may have gone down to the garage and driven home, but he didn't think so. When Scully was upset, truly upset, she liked to walk.  
  
Mulder closed his eyes briefly trying to draw upon the memory of their last big fight. It had been a bad one and Scully had stormed out of the office. He had found her hour later walking down near the river close to the bench where they sometimes ate their lunch.  
  
He would look for her there.  
  
He spotted her pacing back and forth between two clumps of trees. He paused a moment just to watch her. He had thought about her everyday day and she had often filled his dreams, but here in person she seemed even more beautiful and she stomped back and forth with her fists clenched by her sides.  
  
Mulder began to walk over to her hoping that she would refrain from using her weapon on him. He wasn't sure what he had done, but it must have been pretty bad.  
  
"Scully" he said softly as he approached her from behind.  
  
She whirled to face him her eyes full of rage. Before he knew what happened, he felt the force of her slap on his face. "You son of a bitch. You let me think you were dead." She turned and stormed away from him.  
  
Mulder regained his senses enough to catch up with her. He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. She took a step backward and he stepped forward to close the space between them. This continued until Scully found herself trapped between him and a large clump of trees.  
  
Instead of backing down, she resumed her assault.  
  
"You bastard. You were stayed away all this time knowing that I thought you were dead." She said giving him a hard shove to emphasize her point. Mulder opened his mouth to speak but then thought better of it.  
  
"You let me bury your body. Pick out your tombstone. Settle your affairs while all this time you are probably shacked up with that bombshell." Her shoves were getting weaker and she just kept repeating "I thought you were dead." over and over again until she finally collapsed against him.  
  
Mulder wrapped his arms around her then and held her while all the tears she had held in for the last year and a half came tumbling out. He stroked her back, kissed her head and whispered words of comfort into her ear until the tears stopped and she looked up at him as if seeing him for the first time.  
  
The pain and longing in her eyes were matched by his own and before he knew it he was kissing her. Kissing her as if their very lives depended on it.  
  
Finally, she broke the kiss and pushed him back away from her.  
  
"Scully." he said trying to reach for her. She raised one hand to stop him.  
  
"Not now Mulder. I need time." She reached up and touched his cheek tenderly where the red mark of her handprint showed.  
  
And then she walked away.  
  
Ten minutes later Mulder was sitting in front of Skinner's desk trying to make sense of everything.  
  
"Judging by the mark on your face, I assume you found Agent Scully." Skinner said walking around to the front of his desk and leaning against it. "Were you able to explain everything to her?"  
  
Mulder shook his head. "No, she was far too emotional for explanations, especially since I am not sure myself what happened." He looked first at Alicia who was sitting next to him and then to Skinner. "Before I was dragged off to Nebraska, I was told that Scully would be informed of my departure. That she would be told that I hadn't ditched her again."  
  
"Oh she was told all right. The first either of us heard of your departure was when the Director notified us of your death the Monday after you left."  
  
"Monday? I left Friday. So are you telling me that Scully was left wondering all weekend where I was only to find out that I was dead?"  
  
"In a nutshell, yes." Skinner said. "They went to great pains to make sure that Scully didn't question your death. They even sent her all her personal items that they had removed from your body. After seeing the conditions of those items and the burned body, she really had no choice but to believe you were gone."  
  
Mulder nodded slowly and then abruptly turned to Alicia. "Did you know about all of this?" he asked looking at her accusingly.  
  
"Not about faking your death. All I was told was that I was to keep you under for as long as possible and when you woke up try to keep you too distracted to think about returning back here."  
  
"So far, this makes sense Mulder, but where did you come up with the idea that Scully and I were married?" Skinner asked shifting a bit uncomfortably when he realized that sooner or later Mulder would find out the truth about him and Scully.  
  
"From this." Mulder reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Folded up inside was a small piece of newspaper. He opened it up and handed it to Skinner.  
  
Skinner looked at it and frowned. "This is a fake."  
  
"I can see that now Sir." Mulder said smiling at his boss. "Unfortunately I didn't have enough sense to question it when it was presented to me then."  
  
"Why would they want you to think that we were married? It doesn't make any sense?"  
  
"Yes it does." Alicia interrupted. "In my weekly reports to General Elliott I told him of how Mulder still yelled out to Scully in his sleep practically every night. Apparently the General was worried that Mulder would find a way to return to her because a week later he sent me the article to show Mulder."  
  
Mulder got up and began to walk around the room. "The article more or less gave me permission to explore other relationships without feeling guilty about Scully." He looked at Alicia and raised an eyebrow at her. "Very clever."  
  
"I am sorry Fox." Alicia said looking up at him with tears in her eyes. Mulder walked over to her and squatted down next to her. "You have nothing to feel sorry for. You were a pawn in this just as much as I was. I have no regrets when it comes to our time together in that house. You shouldn't either."  
  
Alicia smiled and wiped away a tear. "If you'll excuse me I think I will go freshen my face and then head back to the hotel. I am sure you two have plenty more to talk about. I will see you both in the General's office tomorrow morning."  
  
Mulder watched Alicia leave and then went to stand in front of Skinner. "Sir, there is one more thing I need to know." Skinner looked him straight in the eye. "What is that Mulder?"  
  
Mulder paused a minute before continuing. "When I was walking down the hall today, before you and Scully looked up, you two, well, you two looked like a couple."  
  
Skinner swallowed hard but did not drop his eyes as Mulder went on. "What I want to know Sir is if my unannounced arrival is throwing a monkey wrench into your relationship with Scully?"  
  
Skinner relaxed a bit and got up and walked over to his window. He looked outside for a moment or two before answering. "Mulder, I will not lie to you. I have feelings for Dana, very strong feelings and for a while I thought that they were strong enough for the both of us." He turned and Mulder could see the sadness in his eyes. "Unfortunately I was wrong. We were together for a while and I know she loves me."  
  
He walked over to Mulder and put his hand on his shoulder. "It is just that she doesn't love me the way she loves you." He smiled when he saw the look of confusion flash across Mulder's face. "I don't understand why you two don't see it. Together you are a perfect example of the whole being greater than its two pieces. You complete each other."  
  
Mulder looked at Skinner. "I am sorry Walter."  
  
"I know Mulder." Skinner took a deep breath. "Dana needs to know about all of this."  
  
"You are right, she does and I think you are just the man for the job." Mulder said patting Skinner on the shoulder.  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes you. She trusts you Walter. She will listen to you. If I went over there now," Mulder pointed to his still slightly red face "I don't know if I would get out alive."  
  
Skinner snorted at this comment. "Okay, I'll go but only if you promise me that you will take advantage of this second chance you two are getting."  
  
"I promise Sir."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ End of part four - do you like it? 


	5. Part Five

Time Is Running Out Part Five By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in part one  
  
Scully was sitting on her sofa wrapped in an afghan looking off into space when the sound of knocking on her door startled her out of her stupor. She tried not to feel too disappointed when it was Skinner not Mulder she saw when she looked through the peephole.  
  
"Walter." She said opening the door and accepting his kiss on the cheek as he entered. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
Skinner looked at her and felt his heart tighten as he saw her tear stained face and swollen eyes. "No Dana, nothing is wrong. I just thought you deserved to hear an explanation about what has been going on before the meeting tomorrow morning."  
  
Scully nodded slightly. "I will put the coffee on why don't you make yourself comfortable." She walked into the kitchen and filled the coffee pot turning to find Skinner standing in the door watching her.  
  
She raised an eyebrow in question at him but got no response. He was too busy trying to memorize everything about her for he knew that after tonight things between them would never be the same.  
  
Scully left the coffee to brew and slowly caressed his face as she walked by. She smiled up at him when he took her in his arms and kissed her soundly. She smiled again when they parted before taking him by the hand and leading him to the couch.  
  
"Tell me Walter." She said sitting down next to him.  
  
And he did. He told her everything that he, Mulder and Alicia had discussed in his office. How Mulder had been told that she would be informed of his absence and how he had no idea that she thought he was dead. He told of Alicia's admissions of inadvertently letting General Elliott know that Mulder was still pining for Scully and that how she had been told to seduce him to give him less reason to return.  
  
Skinner paused then when he saw Scully's eyes narrow in anger at this particular revelation. "Elliott knew that Mulder's loyalty to you ran very deep so he created a mock newspaper filled with information about DC including a small part in the gossip section about the upcoming marriage between one AD Skinner and one Special Agent Dana Scully." Scully's mouth dropped open at this.  
  
"That would have released Mulder from me" Scully began thinking out loud "just as his death released me from him."  
  
She turned to Skinner her face etched in pain. "I am so sorry Dana." He said taking her into his arms and holding her both of them knowing that he was speaking about more than what had happened to Mulder.  
  
Scully pushed away from him and bit and took his head in her hands. "Don't be Walter. Don't ever be. My only regret when it comes to you is that I hurt so badly." She pulled him close and kissed him then. A kiss that spoke of all that lay between them. A kiss that said goodbye.  
  
April 9th 9:00 AM General Elliott's Office  
  
Mulder could barely contain himself when he reached General Elliott's office for their morning meeting. He had been up most of the night thinking about the ramifications of Elliott's actions, especially as they concerned Scully, and he was furious. He was beyond furious.  
  
The only thing that kept him from putting his fist through Elliott's smug face was the reminder by Skinner that such an action would give Elliott the power to separate him and Scully. Permanently.  
  
So he sat there slowly fuming as Elliott went through the motions of apologizing to Scully for any emotional trauma his actions had caused her and Scully went through the motions of accepting his apologies.  
  
He looked at Scully throughout the meeting and saw that she had her walls, the ones he had painstakingly lowered over the last few years, up and in place. Absolutely no emotion showed on her face as Elliott outlined his plan of action.  
  
"Agent Scully, you and Ms. Duran can prepare our version of the vaccine for human testing." He began.  
  
"That won't be necessary Sir." Alicia interrupted him. "Agent Mulder has already received the vaccine."  
  
This statement did get a response out of Scully. She looked over at Mulder her face full of concern. "Mulder you can't just give yourself a shot outside of a controlled environment."  
  
Mulder smiled at her concern. "Oh yes I can and I did, just last week. Ms. Duran was present, of course, and monitored me closely for signs of reaction."  
  
"I bet she did." Muttered Scully under her breath so softly that everyone but Mulder, who was watching her reaction intently, missed it. He smiled glad to see what he hoped were signs of jealousy.  
  
"Did Agent Mulder have any adverse reactions?" Elliott said his interest and respect in Mulder growing by the minute. He may be a bit too emotional for his liking, but Elliott had to admit that the man had balls.  
  
"None that we could see but it wouldn't hurt to have some more tests done here as well." Alicia replied looking quite pleased with herself.  
  
"You and Agent Scully can work on that. As soon as you have verified that Agent Mulder is indeed in good health I want you to do a control study on at least a dozen other test subjects. Do you have enough serum available to do that?"  
  
Alicia looked down at the paper she had brought with her. "We have twenty samples ready for testing and it will take us approximately ten days to make up additional doses."  
  
"And the instructions on making this are located where?" Elliott asked.  
  
"Well all my notes are located on my laptop but I am in the process of backing that up and distributing copies throughout the country. That should all be done by the end of today."  
  
"Good work Ms. Duran. You have served your country and your family well." Elliott smiled at her making a mental note to have Jenkins arrange a private celebration between himself and Alicia.  
  
"Agent Mulder," Elliott turned and looked at Mulder "when you are done being a human guinea pig, I would like to hear your ideas on distribution of the vaccine."  
  
"From what I can tell from going over the records you obtained for me, the Syndicate is planning to only target certain segments of the population during the initial wave of colonization."  
  
"What segment is that Agent Mulder?" Skinner asked.  
  
"Woman of child bearing age and females under the age of 13." Mulder said "The virus will not kill everyone in those particular groups but will leave the human population with very little means of reproducing."  
  
General Elliott nodded. "Simple and effective. And your plan Agent Mulder?"  
  
"My plan, General, is to start with the children since they receive inoculations on a regular basis and then include woman who have conceived or are about to conceive. They too receive more inoculations than the average person. After that, I would just make it part of something we all receive from time to time."  
  
"Like the shot to prevent lockjaw?" Alicia blurted out.  
  
"Exactly." Mulder said giving her a quick smile.  
  
"I want a specific plan on my desk within the week Agent. The President wants to begin implementation no later than June first. That doesn't give us a lot of time."  
  
He stood then indicating that the meeting was done.  
  
April 9th 1:30 PM Syndicate Boardroom New York City  
  
"What?" the dark hair man choked out as he took another long drag on his cigarette "You told me that Fox Mulder was dead Alex, now you are telling me that he is alive."  
  
Krycek swallowed hard but stood his ground. "That is exactly what I am telling you."  
  
"And how did you come to this realization Mr. Krycek?" Another dark-suited man asked from his easy chair.  
  
"As you requested, I have been keeping an eye on Dana Scully. She received a phone call from AD Skinner yesterday requesting that she meet him at the Bureau Headquarters downtown. Since their romantic relationship seems to have cooled off, I assumed that this call was based more on business then pleasure so I followed her to the Bureau."  
  
Krycek paused a moment to take a long drink of water before continuing. "I planted myself outside so I could see if she and Skinner left together and about ten minutes after she arrived, I see her storming out of the building. You could tell she was very upset about something."  
  
He paused again trying to recollect everything perfectly. "I was about to get out of my car and follow her into the park where she had gone, when the door opens and out comes Fox Mulder."  
  
"Are you sure it was him Alex?" The dark-suited man asked gently.  
  
"Believe me, I would know Fox Mulder any where. He comes out of the building and stops obviously looking for someone."  
  
"Agent Scully I assume" the Cigarette Smoking Man interrupts.  
  
"Exactly. He seems to gather himself and then heads off towards the park too. Of course, by now I am out of my car and tailing him. He finds her and judging by her reaction to him, she was as surprised as you are now to have him back and alive."  
  
"Did they leave together then?" The dark-suited man asked his curiosity growing.  
  
"No, they had words and then she left him standing there. He returned to the building and she headed for home." Krycek ended taking another drink of water.  
  
"This presents a very interesting problem for us gentlemen." The Cigarette Smoking Man began as he lit up another cigarette. "I assume Mulder's homecoming corresponds with an increased amount of activity on their part concerning our little vaccine."  
  
He turned to Krycek then and blew a long stream of smoke in his face. "Alex, I assume you will find a way to hinder their progress? Just don't destroy our two favorite Agents. They still may come in handy in the future."  
  
Krycek smiled a plan already forming in his mind.  
  
April 9th 8:00 PM The Ambassador Hotel  
  
Mulder leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He had been on his computer practically all day and his eyes were beginning to complain.  
  
At first he had stuck to the assigned task of setting up some sort of distribution schedule for the vaccine on which they were working but after an hour or so he began to get bored wishing that Scully, who had a knack for such things, was still his partner.  
  
His thoughts having turned to Scully, he quickly logged onto the FBI databank and looked up everything he could find on her over the past 18 months.  
  
He didn't find a whole lot. There was the request by Skinner for Scully to take a leave, on full pay, of undetermined length due to the death of her partner in the line of duty. Mulder noted that in typical Scully fashion, she had ignored this and had only missed a few days of work.  
  
Several months later there was another request from Skinner officially asking for her removal from his division and her placement as a consultant based out of Quantico. Mulder saw that Skinner had added a prevision that allowed Scully to return to the X-files at any time.  
  
Shortly after Scully's transfer, the X-files division had been officially closed although Scully had been consulted on several of the more bizarre cases that had crossed Skinner's desk.  
  
Mulder browsed through the case files that Scully had submitted during his absence and found them all to be precise and to the point and totally boring compared to the work they had done together. He wondered, then, if Scully had also found these cases boring or more to her liking.  
  
After he was convinced that he had read all he could on Scully, he looked up his own records. Not to his surprise, the entry posted on his death was vague. Basically all it said was that Mulder had been killed in the line of duty and his heirs would be eligible to collect all the appropriate benefits.  
  
Mulder snorted at this wondering if Scully had ever realized that she had been his sole heir.  
  
Feeling a bit morbid, Mulder turned to the newspaper listings and promptly looked up his obituary. Reading it he felt strangely touched. He had often regarded himself as a man who had wasted his life chasing phantoms. It was apparent that whoever had written his obituary had not thought the same of him.  
  
Mulder rose from his chair with a better sense of what had happened in his absence although one small detail still nagged at him. He knew he could ask Scully about it, but didn't want wait until she was ready to talk about having to bury him.  
  
He could think of only one person who could possibly help him.  
  
It was getting close to 9 o'clock when he pulled into Maggie Scully's driveway. Of all the people he knew in Washington, Maggie Scully was the only one who came close to Scully in her devotion towards him.  
  
Ever since he had refused to believe that Scully had been killed during her abduction all those years ago, Maggie had made a special place for Fox Mulder in her heart.  
  
She opened the door at his knock smiling when she recognized him. "Fox" she said hugging him close. "Dana told me that your so-called death was just a misunderstanding." She looked up at him with tears running down her face. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."  
  
She hugged him again and then pulled back to study his face. "What's wrong Fox?" Scully had obviously gotten her talent for observation from her mother.  
  
"Mrs. Scully, I have been trying to put together exactly what happened here after they told you I was dead. I found the obituary and what was on file with the Bureau, but I need to see it."  
  
Maggie frowned for a second and then comprehension filled her eyes. "Of course Fox, I'll take you there myself. Just let me grab a sweater."  
  
They spoke very little as they drove to the cemetery. It wasn't until Mulder had parked the car that Maggie turned to speak to him. "I am glad you are coming here for the first time at night. Dana picked the spot especially and at night you can see why."  
  
Mulder, now more curious than ever, followed Maggie down the cemetery road as it began to climb slightly. She stopped and pointed to a lone gravestone that stood on the edge of the hill placed so it looked like it touched the star-filled sky that surrounded it.  
  
Maggie turned and even in the dark could see the look of awe on Mulder's face. "It's perfect for me." He said going past her and walking up to the stone.  
  
Maggie came up beside him and took his arm gently when she saw the tears start to fall. The stone was a simple one made of black granite. On it were the words "Fox Mulder, The Truth Was In Him."  
  
Mulder touched the stone gently imagining how difficult it must of have been for Scully to pick out a stone, not just any stone but the perfect stone. And to find the perfect spot to place it.  
  
In front of the stone there stood several rows of blue and white flowers. Yankee colors he noted to himself. Scully had thought of everything.  
  
"These roses" Maggie said touching the small pink flowers that were just beginning to appear "are from your family's house on the Vineyard. Dana and I went up there one weekend and brought them here. She wanted something of your family to be with you always."  
  
Mulder looked at Maggie in total awe. "She didn't miss a thing, did she?" He said smiling through his tears at Maggie. "Although I don't know if my neighbor here will be too thrilled about my roses infringing on his space."  
  
Maggie took Mulder's hand and squeeze it tightly. "Dana bought two plots here Fox." Her raised eyebrows giving Mulder little doubt as who was to be buried next to him.  
  
Maggie couldn't help but smile when she saw the light of comprehension go across Mulder's face. "You two have gotten a second chance. I am counting on you not to blow it Fox."  
  
Mulder looked down at her and smiled. "You are preaching to the choir Mrs. Scully. I think you need to say that to Dana not me."  
  
Maggie laughed out loud at his comment. "Don't worry Fox, I will."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ End of part five. remember the more reviews I get the quicker I write. 


	6. Part Six

Time Is Running Out Part Six By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in Part One  
  
April 13th 7:30 PM Scully's Apartment  
  
Scully picked up the remote control and began to aimlessly flip through channels. Nothing caught her fancy so she got up and wandered over to her bookcase thinking that perhaps she would read a little.  
  
Nothing there interested her either and she began to walk around the room picking things up just to put them down again. She caught herself and stopped shaking her head when she realized that she had just rearranged all the pictures on her mantelpiece for the third time that evening.  
  
She glanced at the clock on the mantle before heading into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. Reluctantly she admitted to herself that she was hoping that Mulder would continue their long-lost habit of pizza and movies on Saturday night.  
  
From everything her mother had told her about her visit to the cemetery with Mulder, Scully thought that Mulder was interested in taking up where they had left off so many months ago. That may have been true a few days ago, she told herself, before she had spent the majority of the week trying to avoid him.  
  
Pulling the cork from the bottle she realized that she had to face the fact that she had given Mulder absolutely no reason to think that any interest he still had in her would be reciprocated.  
  
"I am such an idiot." She said to herself as she poured the wine almost to the top of the glass. She picked up the glass, drained most of its content and filled it again.  
  
The thought of a hot bath had just entered her mind when she heard a familiar tapping on her door. A combination of fear and happiness shot through her as she walked over to the door and placed her hand on the doorknob.  
  
Only then did she look down and notice that she was wearing her oldest pair of sweatpants and one of Mulder's t-shirts. "Great." she said to herself as she opened up the door. "I am sure he will find me totally irresistible in this outfit."  
  
She swung the door open to find Mulder standing there with a pizza in one hand and a copy of Caddy Shack in the other. She looked up and him and found him looking at her with a most interesting look on his face. It was a mixture of humor and what she thought was desire.  
  
"Hey." She said stepping aside so he could enter.  
  
"Scully, didn't anyone ever tell you that you should never drink alone." Mulder joked pointing a finger at her glass of wine.  
  
"Then I guess I should be grateful that you stopped by even if you did bring along the worse movie ever made." Scully said smiling herself.  
  
"Come on Scully, I know it has been at least a year and a half since you watched it and I figure it would be a suitable punishment for the way you have avoided me all week." Mulder teased as he cleared a spot on the coffee table for the pizza.  
  
"I haven't been avoiding you." Scully began before she saw the look on Mulder face and smiled back at him. "Okay, maybe just a little. I guess I just don't know what to say to you." She walked over to the mantle and started moving the pictures around again.  
  
Mulder came up behind her and stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. He turned her around and when he saw her staring at her shoes, lifted her chin with his finger. "You could start by telling me that you are glad I am back." Feeling the mood getting a bit too serious a bit too early in the evening he continued in a lighter tone. "But I will settle for you not beating the crap out of me."  
  
Scully smiled at this. "Sorry about that."  
  
"And?" Mulder said egging her on.  
  
"And I am very happy you are back." She said much the way a student would recite back a lesson to her teacher.  
  
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Mulder said giving her a peck on the forehead. "The pizza is getting cold. Let's eat."  
  
Mulder threw in the movie, poured himself a glass of wine and plopped down on the next to Scully. He watched her almost as much as the movie noticing not only how cute she looked in his t-shirt but how it took her what seemed like forever to relax. He wasn't sure if it was the wine or their old routine that finally got her relaxed enough to laugh at the antics of Bill Murray on the screen.  
  
When the movie had finished he turned off the TV, refilled their wine glasses and sat back down this time much closer to Scully. He took a sip of wine watching her over the rim of the glass as he drank. She was getting nervous again but this time he thought it was due to thinking about what might happen instead of dwelling on what already had.  
  
Mulder carefully placed his glass on the coffee table and reached over to Scully's shirt gently fingering the cuff of the sleeve. "Nice shirt Scully, where did you get it?"  
  
Scully blushed and shrugged but did nothing when Mulder's fingers left her cuff and traveled down towards her hand. He picked it up and kissed her knuckles tenderly.  
  
"I guess I should thank you for everything you did when, you know." He began feeling a bit foolish.  
  
"No need to thank me." She responded quietly avoiding his eyes.  
  
"Oh but there is. It isn't often that a person gets a chance to see how he will be remembered to future generations. Everything you did. . ." He couldn't finish again but kissed her hand again.  
  
Feeling the mood getting a bit too dark, Mulder squeezed her hand until Scully looked up at him. "Can I ask you a kind of weird question Scully?"  
  
Scully snorted. "If you think it's weird Mulder, I am almost too scared to hear it."  
  
Mulder smiled. "I was just wondering what ever happened to all my stuff."  
  
"Your stuff?"  
  
"You know, clothes, books, papers."  
  
"Oh that. They are still in your apartment." Scully said beginning to stare at her shoes again.  
  
"In my apartment. I still have an apartment?" Mulder said his smile getting broader. "Why?"  
  
"Well, you had just signed a two year lease and I didn't really see the need to break it so I. . ."  
  
"You kept it. Scully, you kept my apartment. I guess that means you knew that somehow I would come back." Mulder said.  
  
"What is says Mulder," Scully began sounding for the first time since his return like his former partner out to prove him wrong "that I was in complete and total denial that you were dead and that I couldn't bring myself to part with your belongings."  
  
Mulder released Scully's hand and stood up and headed for his jacket.  
  
"Where are you going Mulder?"  
  
"To my apartment, where else?"  
  
"Now?" Scully said trying to hide her disappointment at Mulder's eagerness to ditch her.  
  
"Of course now. I haven't seen my things for a year and a half. I don't think I could wait until morning." He walked over to the door, opened it and turned to look at her. "Well don't just sit there, grab your coat."  
  
"You want me to come with you?" Scully said still sitting.  
  
Mulder closed the door and walked over to her and extended his hand to help her up. "Scully, why do you think I wouldn't want you to come with me?"  
  
Scully stood up and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I thought you would rather share a moment like that with Alicia. You two went through so much together out in Idaho."  
  
Mulder just stared at her. "Scully, I am only going to say this once and I want you to believe me, alright?" Scully barely nodded her agreement so he continued. "What happened between Alicia and me was purely a physical relationship based solely on the circumstances in which we found ourselves. There is no real bond between us. Hell, we had stopped sleeping together long before we left Idaho. She is nothing. You are everything."  
  
Mulder kept staring at her until her eyes met his. "Good now get your jacket Scully, my little fish are dying to see their Daddy."  
  
Mulder took Scully's copy of his apartment key and after taking a deep breath put it in the door and turned it. He opened the door, switched on the light and for the first time in 18 months felt like he was really home.  
  
Scully stood back by the door next to the bags of groceries they had picked up on their way over content to watch Mulder as he slowly made his way around the room dragging a finger across his beloved objects.  
  
He turned and smiled at her before coming to her and ushering her in. "Let me get these in the kitchen and then I will complete my tour." He said handing her a bag and grabbing two.  
  
He walked into the kitchen and stopped when he saw how clean and shiny everything was. Not only had Scully obviously cleaned the place from top to bottom, but she had kept it clean.  
  
Mulder opened the fridge and began putting the food inside. "Scully, it must have taken you days to get through all the goop and grime that was here."  
  
Scully smiled a bit embarrassed at being caught and shrugged. "I had a lot of nervous energy. I thought I would put it to good use."  
  
Mulder smiled again and took her hand. "I want to finish off my tour. May I escort you into my bedroom?" Mulder wiggled his eyebrows at her and pulled her into his room.  
  
Mulder almost gasped out loud at what he saw. Never in all his years had his room been so organized. Looking around it gave him a glimpse of what life would be like living with Scully.  
  
He liked it.  
  
The only thing that looked a bit mussed was the bed. The comforter was bunched a bit in the middle and one of the pillows had been removed from its usual spot and placed on top. Mulder looked to Scully for an explanation only to find that she had escaped back out to the living room where she stood in front of the fish tank blindly throwing in food.  
  
Mulder came up behind her and gently wrapped his arms around her. "What is it Scully?" he said resting his chin on her head.  
  
"There were some nights I could barely stand it." Scully began speaking to his reflection on the fish tank. "Nights when I just couldn't sleep. I would come here then and sometimes even sleep here. It was a comfort to me to be surrounded by this." She waved her hand feebly at Mulder's things. "That's the real reason I never gave up your apartment."  
  
The tears were streaming down her face then. Mulder spun her slowly around taking her head in his hands and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. "Tell me Scully, what about us together makes us so special that people go out of their way to tear us apart?"  
  
Scully had no answer just put her arms around him and held him close.  
  
Mulder finally pulled back kissing Scully on the head. "I am going to make us a cup of tea Scully. Why don't you pick out something for us to watch."  
  
Scully was looking over Mulder's movie collection when she felt him standing behind her. "Scully, is it too much to hope that you kept all those movies that didn't belong to me?" She turned and slapped him. "Of course I kept them. I had no idea where to return them."  
  
"Tell me Scully" Mulder said reaching down and tickling Scully as she bent down again "Did you ever watch those movies when you were here?"  
  
"No!" Scully said turning around and smacking him again. "How did you ever survive so long without your entertainment Mulder?" She asked poking him in the ribs on every word. "Or did busty little Alicia fill the need for you?"  
  
At this Mulder bent over and picked her up over his shoulder and unceremoniously dumped her on his sofa where he began to tickle her in earnest. "God I love to hear you laugh Scully." he said between tickles. He stopped suddenly his head above hers waiting for her to catch her breath. "You should do it more often."  
  
He leaned lower then and was just about to touch her lips when the tea kettle began to shriek.  
  
"Damn" he said as he attempted to stand up and promptly lost his balance landing with a thud on the floor. This got Scully giggling again.  
  
Mulder picked himself up with as much dignity as he could muster and went into the kitchen returning several minutes later with two mugs of tea. Scully had pulled herself together, more or less and was sitting up waiting for him.  
  
Mulder placed the mugs on the coffee table and settled himself next to Scully putting his head back against the back of the sofa and looked at her sideways. "Tell me Scully, how did Walter Skinner manage to get you into his bed in only a few months when I haven't been able to manage it in all these years?"  
  
Scully leaned back and looked over at him and smiled at him. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself Mulder. You could start by just making out with me you know."  
  
Mulder leaned towards her. "Guess we gotta start somewhere."  
  
April 14th 8:45 AM Ambassador Hotel Coffee Shop  
  
Alicia took her usual seat at the coffee shop counter smiling to the waitress who remained her only real acquaintance outside of Scully and Skinner in Washington. She tried to feel happy for Mulder now that he had been reunited with Scully but she had to admit that she was just a little bit jealous and a little bit lonely.  
  
She wasn't really looking forward to yet another day down at the lab. She could have very easily taken the day off, it was Sunday after all, but since she had absolutely nothing else to do she figured she would head down to the lab and try to get a jump on the testing they had scheduled for the following week.  
  
Alicia was quite surprised when a good looking man with dark hair and eyes sat down next to her at the counter. The coffee shop was practically deserted but the man had chosen to sit next to her. Alicia sat up a bit straighter glad that she wore one of her lower cut sweaters.  
  
The man beside her ordered a cup of coffee and when it arrived had asked her for the creamer that sat in front of her cup. Their eyes had met then and she found herself drawn to them. They were dark and held not only a hint of mystery but of danger as well.  
  
"Thanks." The man had said putting a large dollop of cream in his coffee. "Any idea what's good here?"  
  
Alicia smiled sweetly at him. "Practically everything but I am especially fond of their pancakes."  
  
"Then pancakes it shall be." The man replied matching her smile with one of his own.  
  
They spent the next hour chatting about this and that over their pancakes and coffee. Alicia was enjoying his company so much that she didn't give her work a second thought when he had asked her to lunch that afternoon. She figured they could swing by the lab and pick up her laptop while they were out and she could make up the work later.  
  
She had agreed without hesitation to meeting him in the hotel lobby promptly at noon. It was only when the man was halfway out the door that she called out to him. "You know you never did tell me your name."  
  
"It's Alex."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++= End of Part Six - Alicia and Alex, what do you think about that? 


	7. Part Seven

Time Is Running Out Part Seven By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in Part One  
  
April 14th 9:00 AM  
  
Mulder's Apartment  
  
Mulder woke with a horribly stiff neck as a result of sleeping on his old leather couch. He rolled his neck while he gazed down at the source of his discomfort. Scully was curled up next to him giving him very little room to stretch out his long legs.  
  
He couldn't have been happier. Scully had been right. Making out was a lost art form. He never in a million years would have thought that kissing Scully and only kissing Scully would have been so enjoyable.  
  
Sure, he had managed to cop a little feel or two along the way, but had spent most of the night exploring her mouth, face and neck and judging for the wide array of sounds he got her to produce, she had found it satisfying too.  
  
Heaven help him when they got around to the good stuff. Knowing them, it would take another five years he thought to himself as he felt Scully stir beside him. She rolled herself on top of him and smiled as she squirmed up to kiss him.  
  
"Good morning Mulder." She whispered between kisses. "Last night made me feel like a teenager again. Who knows, maybe if you are lucky next time I will let you get to second base."  
  
Mulder ran his hands up her back and pushed her closer to him. "There is no time like the present Scully." He began to stroke her back.  
  
"That's true." Scully said pushing herself to an upright position ignoring Mulder's groan of protest "unless you are scheduled for a 11:00 stress test in Dr. Bulter's office."  
  
"Scully, I'm fine." Mulder whined. "If you come back down here I will show you just how capable my heart is."  
  
Scully gave him one of her looks and he sat up grumbling. "You jump in the shower Mulder, I'll take your car back to my place and then come back and get you around 10:45."  
  
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here and shower with me?" Mulder asked hopefully.  
  
"I am absolutely positive. After your stress test we can grab a bite to eat on our way to the lab."  
  
"The lab?"  
  
"The quicker I enter in the data I have on you the quicker you can be certified healthy and ready for active duty." Scully said walking over to Mulder and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek goodbye.  
  
Not satisfied by this, Mulder grabbed her arm as she was walking away and pulled her close enough to give her a long, deep kiss. "Now that is a proper goodbye kiss Agent Scully." Mulder remarked as he released her.  
  
"I will keep that in mind for future reference."  
  
11:00 AM Doctor Butler's Office  
  
"Thank you for squeezing us in on a Sunday Fred." Scully said as she followed Dr. Butler in to his examination room.  
  
"It is my pleasure Dana, really. If I wasn't here, my wife would have me cleaning out our gutters at home."  
  
Scully laughed but stopped abruptly at the sight of Mulder walking into the room wearing only his running shorts and sneakers.  
  
"Dr. Butler, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder. Mulder, this is Dr. Butler."  
  
The two men shook hands and then Dr. Butler explained the procedure to them both. Basically Mulder would be put through not only the standard portions of a stress test, but also some more vigorous tests designed with him in mind. "I imagine these are because of the physical activities you encounter during your daily routine with the Bureau." The Doctor added not noticing the knowing look that Mulder shot Scully's way.  
  
"I have gone over all the tests with Dana and I will make sure you are hooked up correctly to all the machines before I leave. After that, all that is really needed is for Dana to tell you what test to perform and for her to monitor your progress. The only thing I ask of you Agent Mulder is to let Dana know if you are feeling any discomfort at all. Even something that you would normally ignore."  
  
"Sounds simple enough." Mulder said pulling his eyes off of Scully long enough to address the doctor.  
  
Doctor Butler spent the next ten minutes sticking patches over every conceivable part of his body. When he was satisfied everything was in its proper place, he flipped the machines on, checked their output and left to return home to his gutters.  
  
"Okay Mulder, why don't you hop onto the treadmill and we will begin." Scully said donning her professional persona.  
  
"Scully, did I ever tell you that I like it when the woman takes charge?"  
  
Scully simply shot him and dirty look and started the treadmill. Mulder smirked at her as he began a slow jog and Scully walked over to the machine recording his output to study the tape. "This is too easy Scully." he complained after a minute.  
  
"Then let's see if we can challenge you a bit more, shall we?" Scully said with her own smirk.  
  
It took Mulder less than ten minutes to stop complaining about the ease of the testing and to turn his full attention towards it. Scully put him through his paces changing the treadmill to produce a wide array of running conditions.  
  
She monitored his vitals carefully but had to admit that she enjoyed watching him when he got into the 'zone' running. He was breathing rather heavily and the sweat was pouring off of him but even so Scully had to fight the urge to turn off the machine and pull his sweat covered body on top of hers.  
  
Scully shook the image from her head and looked again at the readings. They were good, actually a little bit too good. Here Mulder was running uphill at a good pace sweating like crazy while his heart beat only a bit faster than normal.  
  
Scully decided to try something else to see if the result was the same. After giving Mulder a few minutes rest and making note of the fact that his heart rate barely slowed, she put him on a rowing machine and watched in fascination as his heart rate stayed basically the same.  
  
"Something is odd here Mulder." She said to him as she handed him a towel. "I am seeing very little change in your heart rate no matter what test I run on you."  
  
She pointed to the computer screen and Mulder went over to look at it for himself. "That is interesting Scully. Do you think it has something to do with the vaccine?"  
  
Scully bent over his shoulder to take a closer look herself when something caught her eye. "Mulder, do you remember when I shot you?"  
  
"How could I forget that Scully? My shoulder still hurts whenever it is going to rain."  
  
"Can you show me the spot Mulder?" Scully said. Mulder pointed to the general area and heard Scully swallow hard. "I see no sign of an injury there."  
  
"What?" Mulder exclaimed as he headed over to the bank of mirrors that lined one side of the wall. He looked himself and finding nothing turned and looked back at Scully.  
  
"What does this mean Scully?" Mulder said walking over to her.  
  
"It means Mulder that you get to suffer through a whole other series of tests so I can compare the new Mulder with the one we have on record."  
  
"Don't you want to check my neck first to make sure I am not a shapeshifter Scully?" Mulder said wiping his face with the towel.  
  
"I believe I did quite a thorough examination of the area in question last night. I am convinced you are human."  
  
Mulder pulled her close to him. "Maybe you should examine the rest of me to make sure that everything in functioning properly. . ." he stopped mid- sentence as a thought struck him.  
  
He pulled back from Scully looking down at her a bit fearful. "Scully, have you forgotten that you have had the vaccine too."  
  
Scully looked at him perplexed. "Don't you see Scully, it this vaccine fixes things or makes things better than they originally were. . ."  
  
"Then perhaps I might be able to have. . ." She stopped not able to complete the thought.  
  
"Let me grab a quick shower and then we can head down to the lab and enter in all this data." Mulder said leaving her alone with her thoughts.  
  
Noon The Ambassador Hotel Lobby  
  
Alex Krycek smiled when he saw Alicia get off the elevator. She was dressed in a skin tight sweater and jeans that showed off every curve. This assignment was going to be one of his more enjoyable ones he thought as he presented his arm to her.  
  
"Where to first?" Krycek asked after complimenting Alicia on how good she looked.  
  
"Well, if it is all right with you, I would like to stop by my lab and pick up my computer. I have a bit of work to do before I head in tomorrow morning."  
  
Krycek smiled amazed with his good luck. "That won't be a problem at all. Where is it that you work?"  
  
"I am a research scientist for the government, but currently I am using the FBI labs." Alicia replied as Krycek opened up the door of the car for her.  
  
Krycek slipped onto the seat next to her and started the car. "You are going to have to tell me the way to get there." He lied starting up the car. "Can you telling what you are working on, or is it some sort of big secret?"  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Alicia said laughing.  
  
"Try me."  
  
They arrived at the FBI labs about fifteen minutes later. Much to Krycek's relief, the building was not nearly as secure as the main headquarters and he was let into the building with little more than a wave from the watchman after Alicia showed him her ID.  
  
Krycek made a mental note of the arrangement for future reference and quietly followed Alicia into the lab. Krycek's eyes grew wide when he saw the collection of small tubes sitting in the clear glass refrigerator unit at the back of the room.  
  
"Surely it couldn't be this easy." Krycek thought to himself and he attempted to keep his face neutral.  
  
"I am going to have to hurry." Alicia was saying "My colleague Dana is coming in some time this afternoon to enter some test results into the computer. If she catches us, we could be stuck here all afternoon."  
  
"Then we must at all costs avoid her." Krycek said listening as hard as he could for the sound of footsteps coming down the hall.  
  
Luckily it only took Alicia a moment or two to gather together her equipment. She smiled sweetly at Krycek when he offered to carry her computer bag for her. She was truly lucky to have found such a gentleman.  
  
Krycek didn't relax until they were both back in his car. He was just about to start his engine when he spotted Mulder and Scully walking towards the door from the other side of the parking garage.  
  
"Oh look, there they are. . ." Alicia started before Krycek leaned over her and kissed her. He kissed her long and hard enough to take her breath away and hopefully remove any idea she might have of introducing him to her associates.  
  
The plan seemed to work for when he pulled back he found Alicia looking up at him with dreamy eyes. "Sorry." He said turning the car on "You just looked so sexy there that I couldn't resist."  
  
"No problem." Alicia said her voice a bit husky. "Maybe we should go back to my room and order room service."  
  
Krycek smiled at her. "Okay, but on the way tell me about, ummm, what were their names again?"  
  
"Mulder and Scully." Alicia said reaching over and stroking Krycek's thigh. She was so taken in by Krycek's charm she found herself telling him everything she knew about Mulder and Scully.  
  
How she and Mulder had worked for months on preparing their secret project for its arrival in DC. About how Mulder and Scully were madly in love with each other, but for some reason had yet to do anything about it.  
  
Krycek interrupted at that point to ask. "Are you telling me that they have been working side by side for all these years and haven't slept together? Maybe that guy Mulder is gay."  
  
Alicia laughed at this. "I can tell you from personal experience, Alex, that Fox Mulder is anything but gay. Agent Scully has some good times coming her way if she plays her cards right."  
  
She had just about finished her story as they arrived at the door of her hotel room. "You know Fox's room is right next door." She said as she slipped the keycard in. "Maybe sometime you two will meet."  
  
"I am sure of it." Krycek said with a smile as he followed her into the room.  
  
As he expected, his assignment turned out to be a most enjoyable one. Alicia turned out to be a very talented lover and several times during the course of the next few hours, Krycek found himself actually liking the woman. He did his part to wear her out and after reaching more peaks than she ever knew she was capable of having, Alicia had fallen off into a deep sleep.  
  
Krycek then had simply removed himself from her bed and calmly taken her computer out of her bag and copied everything on it on to the CD's he carried in his coat pocket. Pleased with his results, he climbed back into bed assuming that all his hard work and earned him a night of fun when Alicia woke back up.  
  
6:30 PM Scully's Apartment  
  
Ever since he implied that Scully may have, herself, been changed by the alien vaccine, Mulder noticed that she had gotten very quiet. As if she had withdrawn into herself but was trying her best not to show it.  
  
Mulder let it go for the most part but found his curiosity getting the better of him now that he had her alone in her apartment. He waited for coffee she had offered him before asking. "Scully, what is it?"  
  
Scully looked at him a bit startled and then smiled weakly at him. She should have known better. She never could hide anything from Mulder for very long. She looked at him longingly and decided it was better to get everything out in the open now. Now when he could still have a chance of finding happiness with Alicia.  
  
"Do you remember last night when you asked me why it has taken you so long to get me to your bed?"  
  
"Scully, I was only joking, more or less." He began. She stopped him by putting a finger to his lips.  
  
"Well, I have been giving that a lot of thought Mulder. And up until we were in Doctor Butler's office, I would have blamed it on our mutual ability to think everything to death before acting on it." Mulder smiled at this but then felt a small pang of fear when she continued.  
  
"Then when you mentioned you thought that the alien vaccine may have made me whole again it hit me like a ton of bricks."  
  
She looked up hoping that Mulder would make one of his great leaps of logic and spare her explaining further but he only frowned at her.  
  
"Don't you see Mulder? You see me as many things Mulder. A partner, an equal, a doctor but not as a woman. At the beginning I think it was because you were trying so hard not to offend me but then they took my ability to have children away from me and with it any thoughts you might have of me as a mate. A sexual being. A woman."  
  
Mulder was just staring at her with disbelief now. Scully glanced at him and got up and walked over to mantle and leaned heavily against it. "Mulder you are a very attractive man with from what I have seen a very healthy sexual appetite."  
  
She snorted and turned to face him. "Alicia has spent many an hour retelling of your exploitations with her before it dawned on her that I had no stories to share with her."  
  
Mulder was still staring at her and Scully took his silence to mean that she had been correct in her assumption. "The reason we have not slept together Mulder is that you don't think of me in that way and never will. You are only with me now out of guilt and obligation for all we have been through together."  
  
She turned back towards the mantle and whispered. "Mulder, I want you to go and find someone who will meet all your needs. You have more than filled your obligation with me."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
End of Part Seven - Is Scully right? 


	8. Part Eight

Time Is Running Out Part Eight By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in Part One  
  
Mulder opened his mouth to speak and then shut it. He was truly speechless. He stared at Scully wondering how she could have possibly come up with such a theory. She meant everything to him. Didn't she know that? Hadn't he shown her in a thousand little ways?  
  
Maybe showing wasn't enough. Maybe she actually needed to hear the words.  
  
Mulder rose from the couch and came up behind her so quietly that she jumped at the feel of his touch. He took her by the shoulders and turned her around slowly until she faced him. Her head was down and Mulder could see the tears splash gently as they landed on the floor by her feet.  
  
"Scully" Getting no reaction he tried again. "Dana." This got her to look up at him a bit puzzled. He had only called her that a few times in all the years they had been together and only in the most serious of situations. She took it as a sign he was about to say goodbye.  
  
"It's okay Mulder." She said pushing past him. "You don't have to say anything. I understand, really I do." Mulder's anger began to rise and he did his best to push it back down. The last thing they needed right now was to get into a shouting match over how much he cared for her.  
  
Mulder walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Dana you don't understand at all." He whispered into her ear. "Do you really have no idea what you do to me? Do you really think that the only reason I am standing here right now is out of obligation and guilt?" Scully nodded against him and he sighed in frustration.  
  
"Dana you are my very soul. Even those idiots who dragged me off to Idaho could see that. Don't you see that everything I did with Alicia was out of frustration because I thought that I could no longer have you? They knew that if I had the smallest inclination that you wanted me here that I would have done anything in my power to get back to you."  
  
"Obligation Mulder, nothing more. You were probably riddled with guilt because you had left without telling me. You knew I would worry about you."  
  
God she knew him well. "Scully, it's more than that. Do you have any idea how many times I had to sit at my desk long after you left the room because if I had stood up I would have embarrassed myself completely?"  
  
"How could that be, I never. . ."  
  
"That's just it Scully. All you would have to do is be there wearing one of those little blouses of yours or sit at your computer nibbling on your lower lip as your typed. One look at you and my over active imagination took over. It is more than raging hormones Scully. When I look into your eyes I see the promise of what could be. You fill in the little pieces of me that were torn from me when I was younger. You make me whole Scully."  
  
Scully was watching him intently her eyes brimming with tears. "The reason I haven't made my feelings clear before is that I was scared that I would destroy all that we had built up over the years. We are closer, more intimate than any set of lovers Scully. Can't you see that?"  
  
"Yet still you can't tell me how you really feel, can you Mulder?"  
  
"Can you Scully?" He wrapped his arms around her tighter. "I can start by showing you."  
  
"Don't show me Mulder, tell me. I need to hear the words." Scully said pulling away from him and turning to face him.  
  
He took her hands in his then and kissed them briefly before leading her back to the couch. "Okay Scully." He looked at her over her knuckles as he kissed them again. "I love the way you pick apart everything I say until it makes sense to you. I love the way you wrinkle up your nose when you are thinking. I love the fact that even though you thought I was dead you took the time to arrange my sock drawer." He smiled at her then. "I bet your underwear drawer is all organized too."  
  
She smiled back at him. "Go on."  
  
"I love the way you look in my old t-shirts even as I envy them for being able to touch parts of you off limits to me. The way you look at me when you think I don't see you. The way the mere thought of you or the sound of your voice can make fantasies pop into my head. Most of all, I love the way we fit together when I take you in my arms. Like two halves making up the perfect whole."  
  
Scully stroked his face and gave him a smile that was tinged with sadness. They both realized that although they felt it, neither of them could say those three little words. At least not yet.  
  
Mulder pulled Scully back against him and nuzzled her neck. "We are both pretty messed up Scully, aren't we?" Scully just snorted in response. "Do you at least believe me when I say I definitely think of you as a woman?" He drew his fingers up along her arm and she shuddered under his touch.  
  
He felt instead of saw her smile in response. He nibbled on her neck and ear before whispering. "You think that will be enough to let me get to second base tonight?"  
  
April 16th 7:45 AM Office of the Assistant Director  
  
Mulder and Scully waited outside of Skinner's office for their Monday morning briefing. They had decided that they would refrain from mentioning the possibly of Scully's condition having been reversed until she had a chance to check with her doctors.  
  
They had plenty to tell Skinner without bringing that up.  
  
Mulder looked at Scully so sitting so poised and collected next to him calmly going over her notes on the tests that were run over the weekend. One would never know by looking at her that she was on the verge of consummating her relationship with her former partner. Mulder, on the other hand, was sure that everyone who looked at him would be able to tell.  
  
Skinner welcomed them into his office and after the usual pleasantries sat behind his desk and got down to business.  
  
"Agent Mulder, I assume you went through your stress test this past weekend?"  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"And everything was normal?"  
  
"Well, yes and no Sir."  
  
Scully saw the look of annoyance on Skinner's face from this vague answer and jumped into the conversation. "Sir, I ran not only the standard stress test on Agent Mulder but some accelerated ones that would be more in line with what he would experience during a difficult field case."  
  
"And were the results normal or not?"  
  
"Well Sir, that's where things get a bit strange. The results were almost too normal." Skinner gave her an impatient look. "For example, I had Agent Mulder running at quite a severe uphill angle and a relatively fast speed. While you could tell he was being challenged physically by looking at him, when I checked his vitals I saw that they were practically all normal."  
  
"In layman's terms Agent Scully. Something simple enough that even General Elliott can understand."  
  
This comment provoked a chuckle from Mulder but a look from Skinner silenced him.  
  
"Agent Mulder's heart rate was around 75 beats per minute when he was in a resting state. After running uphill for close to 15 minutes, the rate had only gone up to around 80."  
  
"Is this a good thing Agent Scully?"  
  
"We're not sure Sir. I have scheduled for Agent Mulder to have a complete physical tomorrow. I will then compare his former medical records with the results."  
  
"Agent Scully, I suggest we keep this little piece of information between the three of us until we can come up with some concrete facts. I don't know about you, but I don't particularly want General Elliott to know about the other potential uses of this vaccine any sooner than necessary."  
  
"Why is that Sir?" Scully asked.  
  
Mulder jumped in. "Don't you see Scully? If this stuff works the way we think it does, you can make a soldier that doesn't tire easily on the battlefield and perhaps prevent or cure all diseases. It's use by the wrong people could be devastating."  
  
"Do you think the Syndicate has figured all this out yet?" Scully looked at Skinner.  
  
"From what General Elliott has told me, he doesn't think that the Syndicate has done any human testing yet outside of convicted criminals and the like. I doubt very much that they even bothered to check on them any more than to see if they survived or not."  
  
"Let's hope not."  
  
10:15 PM Ambassador Hotel  
  
Krycek came up behind where Alicia was busily typing on her computer. He bent over and began kissing her neck all the while reading what was displayed on her screen. He only glanced at it quickly, but that he caught the name of Fox Mulder on the screen. He immediately began to wonder why Mulder's name would be showing up in any testing data.  
  
"Alicia baby, tell me again about all these tests you run." Krycek said as he swirled his tongue around her ear and sucked gently on her earlobe.  
  
"Alex, you know I can't really talk about my work. All I can say is that we are working on a new type of medicine and we have tried testing in on a few volunteers. Ohhhhh, that feels good." She lost her train of thought when Krycek spun her chair around and began to turn his attentions lower.  
  
As Krycek lured Alicia back to bed he was busily trying to think of why the FBI would use Fox Mulder as a test subject. It was common knowledge that Mulder wasn't one of the favorites among many in the Bureau but he was one of their best profilers and a personal favorite of both the Director and Assistant Director. If Mulder had been chosen as a test subject it must have been without prior knowledge of the FBI.  
  
"You are such a rebel." Krycek said out loud resulting in a questioning "What did you say?" from Alicia. "Nothing darling." Krycek turned his attentions back to her.  
  
Krycek waited until she was asleep before heading back to the computer. He already had provided the Syndicate enough data from which to build a computer virus that would destroy all the FBI's data, but he was still curious about Mulder. Not so much for the Syndicate's use, but for his.  
  
Krycek knew that knowledge was power and he what he found out about Mulder and his stress test proved to be very knowledgeable indeed. No one within the Syndicate had mentioned the physical advantages of the vaccine leaving Krycek to believe that they had yet to make that discovery. He stored away this tidbit for future use while making a mental note to himself to make sure to snag a dose or two of the vaccine for himself before destroying the remainder.  
  
April 17th 6:00 AM The Syndicate Board Room, New York City  
  
"Well Mr. Krycek what can you tell us about the activities of the FBI concerning our plans?" The Cigarette Smoking Man lit up another cigarette.  
  
"They have the vaccine and are in the process of trying to replicate it. They have only produced a few test vials so far but plan to produce it on a massive scale once their testing has been concluded." Krycek resisted the urge to fan the smoke away from his face.  
  
"And when to they anticipate the testing to be completed?" The dark-suited man asked.  
  
"They plan is to begin distribution no later than June first." .  
  
The Well Manicured Man was sitting in the corner of the room. "When shall you implement the computer virus you created?"  
  
"Well before their testing is complete. I plan to enter their facility sometime this week and install the virus. It should begin worming its way through their system almost immediately although it may take them a few days to realize that their data has been altered."  
  
"What about the vials that they have already made?" The Cigarette Smoking Man leaned back in his chair relaxing now that matters seemed well in hand..  
  
"A simple flush should do the trick nicely." Krycek said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
2:30 PM Office of the Assistant Director  
  
Scully and Mulder sat in front of Skinner's desk with Mulder's medical records perched on Scully's lap. She explained her conclusions from Mulder's most recent round of test and both men listened with keen interest.  
  
"Sir, I can tell you that I have seen nothing like this. All of Mulder's ailments, medical ailments" she corrected with a small smile at Mulder "seemed to have been eliminated."  
  
She picked up an X-ray and waved it. "Tissue damage caused by multiple bullet wounds have disappeared. His tonsils even returned."  
  
"Unbelievable." Skinner let out a long sigh. "Agents, if it's all the same to you, I would like to still keep this bit of information between us."  
  
"I agree completely Sir. I have a bad feeling about General Elliott and how he would use this information." Mulder agreed immediately.  
  
Scully, being Scully, played devil's advocate. "Isn't it our job to present the President and the members of our task force all the information available so they can make an informed decision about what to do next?"  
  
"Scully, I'm not saying that we will keep this information from them indefinitely, but before we hand it over to them I think we need to figure out exactly what we have stumbled onto here."  
  
Scully looked first at Mulder and then at Skinner and threw her hands up in defeat. "Okay, I will keep all this information on my personal computer at home. That way Alicia won't see it."  
  
Mulder and Scully walked out of Skinner's office and headed towards the elevator. Once inside Mulder turned to Scully. "So what's the plan for tonight Scully?"  
  
Scully glanced briefly at her watch. "Since it is relatively early, I thought I would pop in at my office over at Quantico and see how everything is going over there. It's been awhile and I am sure my mail is stacked nearly to the roof."  
  
Mulder smiled knowing how much Scully would hate the thought of anything being stacked to the roof. "And after that Dr. Scully?" he asked in a slightly mocking tone.  
  
"I think I will head home and turn in early. I can't eat anything after eight so it seems like the perfect excuse for me to catch up on my sleep."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you tomorrow?" Mulder concern was beginning to show.  
  
"No, I'll be fine Mulder. There is really no need for both of us spending the day sitting in waiting rooms."  
  
"Okay, if you're sure. I'll meet you at your apartment tomorrow afternoon."  
  
The elevators opened on the main level and Scully got out. "And Scully" he said causing her to turn around and look at him. "no matter what happens tomorrow we will deal with it together."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++ End of part eight 


	9. Part Nine

Time Is Running Out Part Nine By Katie Phillips  
  
Disclaimer Info located in Part One  
  
April 18th 4:00 PM Scully's Apartment  
  
Mulder was working himself into a full fledged panic. Scully's appointment was at ten that morning and now six hours later he still hadn't heard from her. To make matters worse, not only was her cell phone turned off but the message on her office voice mail calmly stated that she would be 'out for the day'."  
  
Mulder decided the bag the rest of the day and head over to her apartment. Perhaps she was waiting for him there.  
  
She wasn't. After knocking on her door several times he left himself. He called out her name and hearing nothing did a quick inspection.  
  
There was no sign of her nor was there any sign that she had been there since early that morning. Mulder walked around the apartment again with a new appreciation how Scully felt when he had disappeared.  
  
He was on his eighth lap of the room when he heard the key in the door and it opened revealing a very tired looking Scully. One look at her and he feared the worse and wasted no time in taking her into his arms.  
  
"It's okay Scully, really it is. There are lots of different ways to make a family and we will find one that works for us. I know we will."  
  
Scully pulled away from him and looked up at him rather puzzled. "Don't you understand Scully I love you and it makes no difference whether or not you can have a child."  
  
"You do?" Scully her eyes began to fill with tears. Mulder was so upset about her test results that he had let those three little words slip out. "Do you really want to have a family with me Mulder?"  
  
"More than anything in the world Scully." He leaned over so his forehead touched hers.  
  
"And you don't care how we do it?" She asked looking up into his eyes and seeing nothing but concern and love there.  
  
"No Scully. It makes no difference as long as we do it together."  
  
She cradled his face between her two hands. "Are you sure Mulder?" She wanted to make sure she had gotten it right.  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
She beamed at him then. "Well, I hope you don't mind having to do it the old fashioned way."  
  
Mulder stepped back and looked at her trying to comprehend what she had just said. He stared at her a moment or two before a slow grin started to creep across his face. He grabbed her then and swung her around until she felt slightly dizzy.  
  
"Tell me Scully, tell me everything."  
  
"They checked me over from head to toe and the chip is still there but the damage to my ovaries seems to have been eliminated."  
  
He hugged her again. "I just assumed when you were so late and you looked so tired . . ."  
  
"I stopped by the lab to check on Alicia and forgot to turn my cell phone back on. Really Mulder after all this time you should have learned your lesson about making assumptions."  
  
"This definitely calls for a celebration Agent Scully." Mulder said quite formerly. "Why don't you rest awhile and I will come back around eight and take you out for a romantic dinner."  
  
Scully laughed and Mulder looked at her a bit puzzled. "Leave it to you Mulder to tell me that you love me and offer to start a family with me all before we had our first real date."  
  
6:10 PM FBI Labs  
  
Krycek was once again surprised by the lack of security as he basically walked right into the building that housed some of the FBI labs. The security guard on duty had been the same man who was there the first time he had visited with Alicia. Recognizing him, the guard had waved him through without question.  
  
He stood outside of the glass room which housed Alicia's research watching her. He felt a small twinge of regret at what he was about to do for he was genuinely fond of Alicia and had thoroughly enjoyed the several evenings he had spent in her bed.  
  
Krycek tapped on the glass door and smiled in response to Alicia's. She came over to the door and unlocked it letting him in and was greeted by a long and very deep kiss.  
  
"Alex, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I got impatient. I just couldn't wait another minute to see you. Will you be long?"  
  
Alicia frowned as she thought. "No, I expect I should have things wrapped up in the next few minutes. Do you mind waiting?"  
  
"Not if you don't mind me nibbling on your neck while you work." He began to do so eliciting peals of laughter from Alicia. "Alex, what if someone should come by?"  
  
"Are you expecting anyone?" He wrapped his hands around her waist and began to tug her dress upward.  
  
"No. Dana has already come and gone and the rest of the labs down here are pretty much empty." She said feeling her legs start to become weak.  
  
"Security cameras?" Krycek purred into her ears.  
  
"No." Alicia allowed herself to be backed up against one of the desks. "Oh, wait a minute." She pushed Krycek away.  
  
"What's wrong baby?"  
  
"I don't have any rubbers in my purse." She said a bit sheepishly. "They sell them in the Ladies Room on the second floor. I'll just pop up there and get one." She kissed Krycek on the cheek. "Don't go away."  
  
Krycek chuckled as he watched her leave. His original plan was to seduce her and then corrupt the computers when she headed to the Ladies Room to clean up. This worked out even better although he briefly regretted not having one more go around with her.  
  
It took him but a moment to slip the CD into Alicia's computer. His program started immediately and would not only inject the virus into the system but erase all data on the CD before terminating.  
  
Seeing his program chugging away, he walked over to where the vials were stored, slipped two into his pocket and calmly opened the others and poured their contents down a small sink located in the corner.  
  
The empty vials were stuck in other pocket to be disposed later. He closed his jacket and casually walked out the door. Krycek was in his car and halfway down the block before Alicia returned rubber in hand.  
  
She frowned when she saw the empty room assuming that Krycek had gone back to their hotel so they could have a more leisurely encounter. She shut off the lights and locked the door behind her never noticing the whirring sound of her computer.  
  
8 PM  
  
Scully opened the door to her apartment to find a very nervous Fox Mulder standing in her doorway. She smiled at him wondering how a man who could take on mutants and aliens without batting an eye would be so thrown by a simple date.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey, yourself. Just let me grab a sweater." Scully ducked back into her apartment and appeared seconds later tugging her sweater on. Mulder helped her with it, ignoring the 'I can do it myself' glare he got for his efforts. He kissed her on the cheek and motioned for her to take the lead.  
  
Scully had wondered about their big date all evening. Where would he take her? What would they talk about? What would she do when he returned her back to her apartment? It was definitely time to fish or cut bait but she still was unsure of which to do.  
  
She gasped in surprise when Mulder pulled up in front of an exclusive French restaurant.  
  
"Isn't this okay Scully? I thought you liked French." Mulder's insecurities were threatening to start showing themselves.  
  
"I love French food Mulder. I am just surprised that's all." She got out of the car and actually took his arm when he offered it to her. "How did you ever get a reservation Mulder? There is usually a two week waiting list."  
  
"Frohike." Mulder said with a grin. "Apparently our friend Melvin has friends in high places."  
  
Scully laughed and shook her head in disbelief as the waiter showed them a table towards the back of the room. The restaurant was very romantic and Scully thought briefly of the time that she and Skinner had dined there. She pushed the thought out of her mind as she ordered in dinner in perfect French.  
  
"When did you learn to do that?"  
  
"What? Oh, speak French?" Scully said blushing slightly. "My father almost got transferred there years ago and made us all take French lessons from this little old lady who would come by our house every week and torture us for an hour."  
  
Mulder laughed and took her hand in his realizing how little he and Scully had ever discussed their private lives or their past. They did that night and both were pleased to find out that they had much more in common than the X-files and their mutual experiences with the Bureau. As they left the restaurant Mulder turned to her. "Do you want to go someplace for a drink Scully?"  
  
She looked a bit sheepishly at him. "It's getting kind of late Mulder and we have that 7 AM meeting with Skinner tomorrow."  
  
Mulder nodded and frowned as he opened the door for her. "No problem Scully. I will take you right home." He got into the car and an uncomfortable silence wrapped itself around them. It took Scully a few minutes to figure out what had put a damper on their evening. "Mulder?"  
  
"Yes Scully."  
  
"Do you want to come in for some coffee?"  
  
"You said it yourself Scully, it's getting pretty late."  
  
Scully nodded and stared out the window knowing perfectly well that their big chance was slowly dissolving. Refusing defeat, she tried again.  
  
"Mulder?"  
  
"Yes Scully." She couldn't tell from the sound of his voice if he was annoyed with her for what she said back at the restaurant or because she was badgering him now.  
  
"If it gets too late you can always stay over." She was still looking out the window.  
  
Mulder said nothing just glanced at her from time to time as he drove along. Scully knew him well enough to know that he was trying to get a read on her. Finally he spoke.  
  
"I think a cup of coffee would be great."  
  
Scully opened the door to her apartment and was suddenly overcome with the same case of nerves that had consumed Mulder earlier that evening. She said nothing as she flipped on the lights and went to hang up her sweater leaving Mulder to throw his jacket over a chair. He watched her as she returned from the bedroom and took her hands as she stood before him.  
  
He waited until her eyes met his and then he slowly bent over and kissed her. Unlike the kisses they had shared in the past, this kiss was filled with more. With a promise of what was to come.  
  
They parted and Mulder leaned his forehead against hers. "I would tell you how much I love you Scully but every time I try to you start crying and I don't want to break the mood." Scully swatted him playfully. "I am going to put the coffee on. Make yourself comfortable."  
  
Mulder thought about following her into the kitchen but thought better of it. There was no rush. They had not only the whole night but their whole lives to spend together. He could wait a few more minutes.  
  
Scully came out of the kitchen and saw Mulder sitting on the couch and glancing at the TV was surprised to find it off. Apparently Mulder did mean business tonight.  
  
He raised his eyebrows at her and patted his lap inviting her to join him. She paused only a second but when she saw the fear of rejection flash across his face she walked over and sat down wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
"You say you want to believe Mulder, but how come you can't believe this?"  
  
"I'm sorry Scully but I keep expecting to wake up and find that this is all a dream. Ow! Why did you pinch me?"  
  
"So you would know you're awake." She lowered herself and placed her lips on his. "Mulder, I am going to make a believer out of you tonight." She whispered into his ear before resuming her assault on his mouth.  
  
It didn't take long for the passion that had been long buried between them began to rise. Mulder found he couldn't get enough of Scully and was eager to explore every inch of her. Scully was only too happy to oblige.  
  
He had laid her down on the couch and after thoroughly tormenting the upper half of her body with his tongue decided to begin the same process on the lower half. Scully lay there half undressed doing her best to guide Mulder's head with his hands. She would have told him exactly what she wanted but at the present time was incapable of speech.  
  
Mulder was just about to go in for the kill when the sound of Scully's phone caused them both to jump.  
  
"Leave it." Mulder said gruffly from somewhere around Scully's knees.  
  
Scully did her best to comply with his wishes but when Skinner's voice boomed over her answering machine she bound off the couch and ran to grab the phone leaving Mulder impressed with her grace of movement considering her skirt was bunched up around her waist.  
  
"I'm here Walter." Scully said the look of concern on her face growing as she listened. Mulder had risen and came to stand next to her.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure I can get hold of Agent Mulder." Mulder choked back a snort at this comment. "We will meet you there in half an hour."  
  
Scully slammed down the phone and started to head towards her room to change her clothes muttering something about a problem down at the lab. She was about the close the door, a fact which Mulder found rather amusing considering what they had just been doing, when he called out to Scully.  
  
"Hey Scully, aren't you going to need these?" He waved a pair of black thongs in the air like a flag.  
  
Scully mustered as much dignity as she could as she marched out of her room and grabbed them from him. "Not a word Mulder." She threatened as she walked back into the room and slammed the door shut.  
  
Midnight FBI Labs  
  
Skinner was already outside the lab with Alicia when Mulder and Scully arrived. Skinner took one look at the two of them and the way Scully was embarrassed to look him in the eye and knew immediately what had been happening. He motioned for the women to lead the way into the lab holding Mulder back by the arm.  
  
"Sorry Mulder." He said.  
  
Mulder looked a bit perplexed and then smiled and shrugged before entering the lab where Alicia was busily pointing to the main computer.  
  
"As I was telling Dana, I was working on my computer back at my hotel room when I started getting all sorts of 'file corrupted' errors. I logged onto the main computer here and began getting the same error."  
  
Scully's eyes grew larger and she looked at Mulder. "I'll get the guys here right away." He said before leaving the room to call the Lone Gunmen.  
  
Skinner glanced up from his perch over Alicia's shoulder when something caught his eye. The door to the glass storage unit at the back of the room was slightly open.  
  
"Agent Scully, where are all the samples of the vaccine being kept?" Skinner felt like he had swallowed lead.  
  
"Here Sir. Why do you . . ." Scully followed Skinner's stare and ran over to the storage unit door while yelling for Mulder.  
  
"What's wrong Scully?" Mulder said running back into the room. "Damn." He shut his eyes when he saw the empty storage unit.  
  
"What is it?" Alicia peered from one agent to the other and then up at Skinner.  
  
"The vaccine appears to be missing Ms. Duran." Skinner said between clenched teeth.  
  
Scully and Mulder retrieved an evidence kit while Skinner escorted Alicia back to his office to question her about her activities pertaining to the lab. The Lone Gunmen arrived within the hour and began their examination of the lab's computer system. They worked in relative silence as it became clearer and clearer that everything on the computer had been lost.  
  
Scully busily dusted the storage unit for fingerprints even though she was quite sure that she wouldn't find any. Whoever had planned this little attack was a pro and not likely to make such an obvious mistake.  
  
Mulder looked around the room for any other type of clue that might prove helpful. The only thing he had been able to find was a small amount of green residue that was clinging to the side of the sink. "Whoever it was seemed to have just poured it all down the drain." He commented digging an evidence bag out of his pocket. "There seems to be minute traces of left here." He dragged a sterile cloth around the surface of the sink. "I am not sure if there is enough here to be of any use."  
  
Scully walked over and looked at the sink and the white cloth which showed the slightest tint of color that was in his hand. "I don't know Mulder but Alicia will."  
  
After collecting whatever evidence they could Mulder, Scully left the Lone Gunmen to continue their searching and headed down the street to Skinner's office. When they arrived they found Skinner looking gloomier than normal behind his desk and Alicia sitting in front of him sobbing quietly.  
  
Scully looked at Skinner and then Alicia and quickly realized that her tears were not a result of simply being upset over the files being corrupted. Mulder apparently had assumed the same thing for he immediately squatted in front of Alicia and began to comfort her.  
  
"What is it Alicia?"  
  
"This is. . .all. . .my . . fault." She managed to get out between sobs.  
  
Mulder looked to Skinner for clarification. "From what I have been able to gather, Alicia had made a new male friend since she has gotten into town." Mulder looked at Alicia and back to Skinner not at all surprised at this for she attracted men likes bees to honey.  
  
"Her gentlemen friend called on her while she was working this afternoon." Scully looked at Skinner and saw he was trying very hard to control his anger. "She left the lab for a few minutes and when she returned he was gone."  
  
Alicia broke in at this point. "I thought he had gone back to the hotel to wait for me but he didn't. We had date but he never showed."  
  
Mulder felt his stomach turn over. "Alicia" he began slowly as to control his own mounting anger. "What's this guy's name?"  
  
Alicia looked very embarrassed. "I don't know his last name."  
  
"That's okay, just tell us what you do know."  
  
"It's Alex."  
  
Scully and Skinner exchanged confused glances while Mulder stood up and slammed his palm down on Skinner's desk for all his might.  
  
"Did you order copies of the lobby security tapes Sir?" He asked hope already receding from his voice. When Skinner nodded he continued. "I think what you find there will confirm my identification of Alicia's little friend."  
  
"And who exactly do you think it is Mulder?" Skinner asked.  
  
"Alex, Alex Krycek."  
  
1 AM Dulles Airport  
  
Alex Krycek sat calmly in the lounge waiting for his Virgin Atlantic flight to be called. He patted his pocket confirming not only the large envelope of cash that the Syndicate had given him to cover his expenses while he hid out in Europe but also the small glass vial. Next to him in his computer case sat Scully's personal laptop computer and a small stack of files. All and all it had been a very productive evening.  
  
He resisted the urge to rub his sore leg where he had administered the other vial's contents to himself. He was no doctor and the injection had been quite painful.  
  
He smiled to himself and sipped his coffee knowing that by this time tomorrow he would literally be a new man living somewhere in Switzerland.  
  
2 AM Scully's Apartment  
  
Feeling quite defeated by the events of the last few hours, Scully opened her door and entered her apartment with Mulder following close behind her. She clicked on the light and went to hang up her jacket when she gasped.  
  
Mulder looked up from where he was tossing his own coat and saw her staring at her desk. Her computer was gone. He watched in silence as she walked over began to rummage through her desks drawers.  
  
"Damn that Krycek." She said walking past Mulder and throwing herself onto the couch. "He got everything. My computer had all my personal notes on not only my medical condition but yours as well as copies of all your medical records."  
  
"So he knows."  
  
"If he doesn't already he will soon enough." Scully leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling.  
  
"From what the Gunmen said, the virus will have wormed its way into all the backups you and Alicia created." Mulder said mirroring her position.  
  
Scully all of a sudden sat straight up. She looked at Mulder and smiled at him. She got up off the couch and starting going through her CD collection tossing CD's aside as she went. Watching her, Mulder couldn't help but think that she had finally snapped under all the pressure.  
  
"Here it is." Scully held up a CD triumphantly.  
  
"What's that, the new REM CD?"  
  
"No Mulder, it's not the new REM CD. It's a copy of all my reports and all of our records. I made it this afternoon before we went out to dinner."  
  
"And you hid it. . ."  
  
"In plain sight. I knew no one would ever think that the anal Agent Scully would stash information in her CD collection."  
  
Mulder got off the couch and went over and swept her up into his arms. "Thank God some of my paranoia rubbed off on you."  
  
Two days later The Syndicate Board Room, New York City  
  
"There must be some mistake." The Well Manicured Man was saying. "I saw the data that Krycek obtained myself and I oversaw the creation of the virus that destroyed it. It's impossible that any data may have survived."  
  
"What we didn't take into account was the fact that Agent Scully was a seasoned veteran of the X-files and was smart enough to make her own copy of the data." The Cigarette Smoking Man took a long drag of his cigarette.  
  
"Is what she has enough to hurt us?"  
  
"That remains to be seen. It will all depend on what whether the FBI chooses to handle the matter or if another branch of the Federal Government does."  
  
"And if it is the FBI. . "  
  
"Then we could have some difficulties."  
  
The Office of The Director  
  
George Williams opened the door to his office and extended his hand in welcome to Mulder. Mulder shook it and followed Williams into his office noticing that AD Skinner and Scully were already there.  
  
Williams perched himself on the side of his desk and waited for Mulder to take a seat before speaking. "I was in a long meeting with the President this morning discussing our best course of action concerning the data that Agent Scully collected."  
  
He nodded an acknowledgement in her direction. "General Elliott felt very strongly that the entire situation be handled by his organization while I and the others gathered there thought that an investigation by the FBI would be the best course of action." He paused a moment. "Fortunately the President agreed with us."  
  
"That's wonderful Sir." Mulder interrupted. "But it is my understanding that the Bureau no longer has a unit that specializes in this type of investigation."  
  
"It didn't." The Director corrected. "As of this morning, the X-files have been reopened with you, Agent Mulder, as Agent in Charge. I have arranged to give you access to whatever labs or computers you may need."  
  
Mulder fought back the urge to smile. "Thank you Sir."  
  
"You are more than welcome Agent Mulder. It's nothing that you don't deserve." Williams got up and walked back behind his desk a signal that Scully and Mulder took to mean he was done with them.  
  
"There is more Agents." Williams said when he noticed they were preparing to depart. "You will need help in your quest Agent Mulder and if both AD Skinner and Agent Scully are willing, I would like to have her rejoin you on the X-files."  
  
This time Mulder did smile as he glanced at Scully awaiting her response. "I would like that Sir, thank you."  
  
Williams looked over at Skinner. "AD Skinner, I assume you will handle the necessary paperwork." He sat then. "Thank you everyone."  
  
Outside the three of them were silent until they got into the elevator. There Skinner smiled broadly and congratulated them both. "I'm glad to have you both back where you belong."  
  
Scully looked a bit uncomfortable. "Walter, what about?" She glanced at Mulder a moment and then looked at the floor.  
  
Skinner smiled again. "I won't ask if you don't tell."  
  
End of story.. 


End file.
